Ancient Memories
by RatchetSS2
Summary: Optimus Prime and the others are shocked when they find the life signals of more Autobots who have crashed to Earth, but have been kidnapped. When they get them back, will the stories and memories be too much to handle? Couples are reunited, memories are relived, secrets are revealed... All in one romantic Transformers Prime fanfic! Warning: Slash, rape, drama, etc.
1. Impossible Possibilities

**Basis:** Prime

**Pairings:** (none yet)

Alright... First chapter. Feel free to cheer with joy.

SUUUUPER sorry for the drastically-long delay! I was super busy and tried to work on it as much as I could.

It might be a bit slow at first... but it gets better. Esp with 8000 words. ;) ... (longer than usual chapters I do) Most of it is just single-line talking, so it should pass pretty quickly.

This fluff bunny happened really randomly... All of a sudden all these ideas are just pouring into my brain. After my WTF moment, I decided to write it down :P

Or, actually, type it out... You get the idea. It just made me kinda sad that in the movies Elita One dies all of a sudden, and stupid Bayformers have no feelings I guess because Elita didn't care that Optimus died, and Optimus didn't care that Elita died after he rose from the dead. Too many wtf issues. Aaaand since I highly doubt Elita will find her way into Primeverse, I'm making my own story :3. SO THERE.

And since Ratchet's ex from Crystal City is nameless, I'll make a name for her:)

(Btw, I did NOT intend on having the dates so close to the actual dates in the real world... I started this liiiiike a month ago? And am just now publishing the first chapter. Sorry it took forever...)

Anywho, I hope you like it... Reviews are nice to let me know what you guys think, etc.

_-Shapeshift_

;)

* * *

[ August 15, 7:50 PM ]

Ratchet stood at the monitor, optics squinting as he listened to the faint beeps. He stared intently, but nothing popped up.

"Weird..." he said to himself, optics flicking all over the screen as he fiddled with every button.

"What's that?" Arcee asked as she sneaked up behind the medic.

"I don't... What?"

Two Autobot beacons suddenly popped up online, the beeping growing louder. The two watched the screen as the beacons slowly traveled across the screen, then suddenly stopped. "I don't know... why it's acting like this..."

"What is wrong, Ratchet?"

Ratchet turned to Optimus as he walked up next to him. "Autobot beacons have appeared online, Optimus," he explained. "But now they just suddenly went offline."

"Maybe we should check it out," Arcee suggested.

"Let's wait... It could very well be a trap."

"_They_ could be trapped, Optimus. Decepticons wouldn't just disappear like that."

"Arcee's right, Optimus. This is too much of a homing signal."

Optimus studied the screen with his servos on his hips, all three staring as the beeping continued the little red marks appeared back on screen. "...Perhaps when Bumblebee returns, we will take a look. But for now, keep it monitored."

Optimus walked away after another moment, Arcee eventually bring a digit up to her audio receptor. "What are you doing?" Ratchet asked sternly.

"Paging Bumblebee... That beacon seems familiar."

* * *

"Now, tell me what's so urgent again...?"

"No time to explain, Bulk," Arcee replied as she transformed. "Just follow me."

Bulkhead and Bumblebee shared a look, and eventually transformed and flew through the groundbridge. Ratchet shut the portal, watching the screen once more as Arcee finally told him they made it.

"I think one might have crashed," he said, noticing how one was still beeping but wasn't moving. "It's hard to tell... What do you see?"

"Um... A ship just flew overhead... Cybertronian for sure. It's landing south."

"Locate the crashed one first..."

"On it."

Ratchet sighed as he watched the motionless beeping flash, wondering if it was Autobots, who it would be. He remembered mostly everyone during the war... Especially those who would come in contact with them now. Perceptor he probably considered his best friend, but he hadn't heard from the mech in a long time. He had started to think he was dead by now a long time ago... Maybe this ship was Perceptor...

No, surely not, he thought, but the more he thought about it, the more he remembered all the mechs during the war. Mirage and Hound... Prowl and Jazz... The twins of course... Ironhide, the mech he had the longest relationship with... All these old relationships and memories. Ancient memories now. He didn't have the slightest if the couples he knew were still together or not. He knew Arcee took it pretty hard when she had to break up with Springer, and when Optimus thought Elita One had died... He'd never seen the semi that hurt and upset. That could very well be the reason why he was so quiet and serious now.

Static erupted on the screen, making him jump. "Bumblebee and I are in the ship," Arcee whispered.

"Tell me what you see."

"I see... um, well, I smell oil..."

"Oil? That's probably why it crashed. Is there oil inside?"

"Yeah... yeah, oil is... everywhere... no mechs, though..."

"Does the ship look familiar? You said one looked - "

"Yeah, Ratchet, it does. Really familiar."

Ratchet huffed to himself, knowing Arcee had known a lot of mechs on a lot of ships. Primus knows what horrific or terrible memories it brought back to her.

"Who's ship does it remind you of?"

Arcee knelt down and picked up a cracked datapad, examining it, looking up around the dark ship. She smelled the datapad, and sighed. "...This is Springer's ship."

* * *

"I still can't believe you didn't find a single mech..."

"...It's... harder than it seems."

"Harder than it - "

"Bulkhead," Optimus raised his servo. "Let's be patient."

Bumblebee broke out in all sorts of beeps and blurts as he walked back into the room with a cube of energon and handed it to Arcee.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"Bumblebee's right," Ratchet said. "Maybe they were okay and escaped before we came out there. And at least we do know they were Autobot ships."

Optimus looked to Arcee after a long while. "Are you certain the crashed ship belonged to Springer?"

Arcee just nodded. "That was the same ship we flew together during the war, before we were sent here..."

"What about the one that landed? You never reported anything for that one."

"It was just a general ship, Ratch. Could've been 'Cons for all I know... Maybe they shot down the crashed one."

"And then ran away when they landed and just left their ship there?" Bulkhead smirked.

"I don't know! We need to go back and check it out."

"Arcee, you know that's too dangerous, which is precisely _why_ Ratchet called you back here. We don't know what these ships are or who they belong to," Optimus explained softly.

Arcee just sighed. "But... if there _are_ Autobots out there... we need to find them."

"I understand that, but we need to investigate further first. _After_ we decide what the Decepticons are up to."

Everyone suddenly jumped as static broke through the sound barriers, sounding throughout the monitor. The unknown mech symbol popped up, flickering as its signal just grew weaker and the static grew more choppier. Optimus walked over next to Ratchet and connected the link to page whoever was trying to contact them, and pressed a digit to his audio.

"This is Autobot Outpost Omega One," he said sternly. "Report your status and who you are."

Everyone listened quietly as the static stopped, and started up again after Optimus let go. Heavy cycling just breathed through, with random loud words and random soft words following the rest of the noise. "Fe - "... "Aut - "... Hel - "..."Cybertr - "...

"Autobots? From Cybertron..."

Optimus pressed his audio receptor again. "Report your name, Autobot."

"Opti - "

"Optimus...?"

"What?"

"Me"... "El - "... "Chro - "..."Hel...!"

"El... Who's El?"

Bulkhead shrugged. "It sounded like the mech said 'female'..."

Bumblebee let more bleeps loose as he stood watching the monitor with his arms crossed.

"Yeah, Bee, which is why I'm wondering how females _could_ be contacting us if they _were_ destroyed eons ago."

"Try to pick up their location," Optimus spoke to Ratchet. "Can you report your location?" he asked the screen.

"Twen - ...ive..."... "Degrees west"... "Jasper"...

"Jasper, Nevada?" Arcee spoke up. Ratchet was already typing the location in as he finally found their signal, indeed about 25 degrees west of their location. He set the coordinates into the groundbridge as the static continued.

But the static suddenly stopped, and the monitor went blank. The signal was gone.

"...What happened?"

"I'm not sure..." Ratchet replied, more to himself as he tried to find the signal again. "Their signal wasn't moving until the end of the conversation... and now it's gone."

"Do you think the Decepticons got 'em?"

Optimus did nothing as he looked at the screen. Everyone's optics fell on him, wondering what was going on inside that processor... what they should do, where they should go... Who did they think was contacting them? Who was El, or Chro? Females...? What was going on?

"...Optimus?"

Optimus still paused and was quiet. His servos floated down to rest on the keyboard, and the semi sighed to himself. "That voice..." he broke out finally, hoarsely. "It sounded so familiar..."

Another long pause had everyone still and silent.

The semi eventually merely shook his helm and let go of the keyboard. No, he wouldn't think about it... about who it possibly could be... Because it _wasn't_ possible. _Don't think about,_ he told himself, trying not to, thinking about other Autobots who could be trying to reach them.

"Open up the groundbridge," he spoke. "We will see what is going on."

Ratchet pulled the lever after another moment and the lights twitched everywhere, eventually forming a stable portal of glowing colors. Optimus looked to Arcee, the motorcycle taking it as cue to transform and roll out. Bumblebee followed, with Bulkhead and Optimus right behind them.

* * *

[ August 15, 10:40 PM ]

Optimus braked as they entered the dark open field, headlights beaming right on Bumblebee as the scout stopped as well. The semi slowly circled around his team and transformed, standing tall in the pitch black and musty country air, headlights shining in front of him to see whatever they were looking for. He heard the others transform and watched the added headlights shining all around, looking for... _something..._ But he still wasn't exactly sure what.

There was nothing there... Just an empty corn field about twenty feet in front of them. Nothing at all, at least where they could see...

"Why don't we split into two?" Arcee suggested after a while. "We can scan the perimeter with backup."

Optimus looked to her and nodded. "If anything goes awry..."

"We know, Optimus. Same goes to you," Bulkhead warned.

With that the four 'Bots split and parted their separate ways into the corn field. It wasn't necessarily difficult to walk through the corn stalks; One step crushed about a dozen at a time. They just didn't feel the happiest on how they were ruining farmers' hard work... But it was for a good reason, they would explain.

Arcee made her way rather quickly, like the ninja she was, through the maze. Every screech from a bat or hoot from an owl made her jump, but she kept herself sane as she reminded herself how she wasn't alone.

"Will you turn off those high-beams? They're driving me nuts..."

"Sorry," Bulkhead apologized as he lowered the light.

Arcee barely noticed how she already had her forearm blades retracted and ready to swing into action at any time. She stopped and turned to defend herself as an owl hooted rather loudly, sighing and scowling at Bulkhead as he just laughed at her.

"Calm down, Arcee. It's just an Earth creature."

"...Says the 'Bot who screamed like a little girl when he mistook power cords for scraplets."

His smile faded as Arcee then chuckled to herself.

The two continued to walk to the dark, armed and ready to fight whatever might attack them. Arcee walked about 100 feet in front of him, but suddenly stopped harshly. "Wait..." she soon spoke.

"What?"

"...That noise..."

"Another owl?"

"No! It sounds like... something in the field..."

Bulkhead stopped walking as Arcee gestured him to, and listened. He parted his lips and was about to say he couldn't hear anything, when he heard it...

_Running_ through the corn field? That's what it sounded like... Like someone running on the ground and brushing against every stalk. The two stood there and waited... watched, listened, to whatever this thing was... It was so much closer now, and Bulkhead could tell Arcee was really frightened.

"Arcee," he smiled, but his cry finished it off. He crashed to the ground and was gone before the poor motorcycle could even blink.

"Bulkhead!" she cried out, but nothing happened. No one replied. The running had stopped. Several colorful words repeated throughout her processor as she ran towards where Bulkhead had been... _bot-napped?_ She had no idea what just happened...

She dug through the field, shoving every stalk aside as she looked for a big hole for the mech to fall through, or _something..._

She searched for several solid minutes, searching the entire area at least twice._  
_

Nothing.

Just... a corn field. In the dark.

And now she was alone.

* * *

"Careful, Bumblebee..."

He just looked up with a single beep, and stepped more carefully as they walked deeper and deeper into the field.

They had been walking for about a cycle now. Optimus had tried to contact Bulkhead but his comm. link was nothing but static, and he couldn't get any reception with Arcee's. This obviously worried the semi greatly, but he ordered himself and Bumblebee to keep walking. It was probably just Earth interference with this vast open space in the middle of nowhere...

The two walked about another 200 feet before they heard a strange rustling noise... Optimus gestured to Bumblebee to stop walking after a moment, and looked around frantically, his launcher firing up rather quickly.

More beeps left the scout's vocals and had the semi turned to him.

"No, Bumblebee. I'm taking every caution. Who knows what the Decepticons could have planned..."

The rustling was louder now, and both mechs could tell it was definitely coming towards them. Optimus pointed the gun everywhere he heard it, but he still saw nothing. His scanner didn't pick up a thing; just corn stalks.

After another moment, Bumblebee muttered noise once again.

"Perhaps... It's probably just an Earth creature."

Just then a swirling orb of color blasted through the air waves and expanded, the two surprised to see their femme dashing through. "Quick! Get back to base!"

"Arcee, wait. Tell me what's wrong."

"Just - There's no _time!_ Jump in the groundbridge!"

Bumblebee just looked to their leader as he stood there, staring back at Arcee and thinking. What if this was part of the trap? What if it was just really a _clone_ of Arcee... standing there... Primus knew where that groundbridge lead to - He could walk through and land right on Megatron's sword. How did Arcee even get reception to contact Ratchet if he'd been unsuccessfully trying all this time?

"Optimus, it's _me,_" she exclaimed annoyedly. "_Please!_ Listen to me! That rustling noise got Bulkhead!"

"What do you mean - "

"Just _hurry_ and I'll explain later!"

Arcee was about to run out into the field and grab Optimus' hand to drag him through, until she jumped back as Bumblebee yelped with beeps. He feel on his front, and as he tried to stand up again, he was suddenly being dragged backwards by... _what?_ Air? Nothing?

"Bumblebee!" they cried almost in sync.

He reached out a hand in panic, but was being dragged away too fast. His frame started to go downwards,_ into the ground, _feet first... the poor scout shouting beeps and blurts of all kinds. Optimus finally grasped his hand after running towards him with Arcee right behind him. He pulled forcefully, but whatever force was bringing him down was just as strong.

Arcee grasped his other hand and pulled strongly, little luck showing. "Agghhh! Use your legs, Bee!"

More beeps flew out as he tried to kick at whatever was pulling him down, until one eventually got loose. He wrapped either hand around either 'Bot's arm as they still pulled heavily on him, success finally peeking as he slowly emerged out of the dark hole.

Arcee gasped in pain as she felt something nip hard on the back of her leg, but she still held a firm grip. "That's it Bee, use your legs!"

He struggled to push himself upwards, but one leg was completely numb from whatever had bit _him_ and brought him down to his faceplate earlier. The other scrabbled against the dirt wall until he got it out, bending at the surface and pushing himself up. Optimus pulled as hard as he could, until they had the muscle car completely above ground and were able to let go and _run._

"Are you alright?" Optimus actually found himself slightly panting.

Bumblebee looked to his limp numb leg and tried to stand up, with very little luck.

"He's hurt - "

"We have to get through that groundbridge!" he said worriedly. "Help me carry him."

Arcee lifted his arm around her shoulder and the two helped him fast-limp to the glowing portal. Arcee softly grunted with every step, every painful step...

Optimus heard a deep snarling, but didn't turn to see what it was. It would only slow them down. They were almost there... Just another ten feet or so...

Ratchet just gave them all strange looks as they practically leaped through the groundbridge and into their base, the three panting and covered with dirt as they stood there, relief flooding their circuits as they heard the groundbridge slowly closing behind them. And no snarling to follow.

"Primus," Ratchet sighed. "What happened out there?"

"We will explain later... Right now Bumblebee is very injured."

"Get him to the berth," the medic snapped. "Arcee too."

"What?"

"Don't think I can't see you limping. Sit down."

Optimus gently lowered the poor scout onto the berth, not realizing he'd been twitching from shock and pain. The youngling was nearly offline as he laid there, he and Ratchet gasping the the sight of his one leg smoking as it was just about disintegrating.

"Arcee?"

"Hmm?" she spoke weakly.

The medic slowly turned his head to her, optics wide. "Tell me what happened out there..."

* * *

Bumblebee sat there with a large blanket around him, Ratchet _still_ surprised he had found the thing. The scout still shivered from the not-nearly-as-intense pain in his leg, but now just mostly from shock. That, and how he was adjusting to all the energon flowing through him, since Ratchet had given him much more as he had lost too much from the wound. Bumblebee couldn't help but feeling his new shiny leg every minute... Ratchet wanted him to stop so he didn't disturb the healing and just about smacked his hand away every time. But that of course didn't stop him, especially when the medic wasn't looking.

"Stop it, Bee, and drink this."

He handed him some energon as he finally finished up and moved on to Arcee. "Alright..."

"...Looks like Bee's..." she spoke hoarsely after a moment.

Ratchet just observed for a while before he agreed. "Your's isn't as bad as his."

She continued to shiver as Ratchet scanned her entire leg. He flipped it over, slowly as she whimpered in pain, and gasped as he found something with the scanner.

"What is it?" Optimus asked.

"Look at this," he said softly, Optimus kneeling down to look at the back of her ankle plate. "Bite marks..."

The leader just looked for a moment, lips parted ever so slightly as this really did surprise both of them. "Bite marks? What could have bit her that's that big?"

"I have... no idea..." he hummed. "Only thing _big_ enough to leave so sharp an indent in this thick of metal, _and_ leave a jaw mark this big... that I can _think_ of... would be..."

"No, Ratchet. That's impossible."

"Who else could have done this besides Ravage, hm?"

Arcee closed her mouth as she thought. He was right... Ravage was the only thing large and capable enough to do this.

"Besides, the bite obviously contained a serious virus. I thought I saw something like this on Bumblebee's leg, but I couldn't tell with all the mess."

"A virus..." Optimus spoke quietly. "Could... Ravage contain a virus like that?"

Ratchet shrugged. "Doesn't surprise me what those 'Cons do, Prime. They're disgusting creatures... Who knows what they've done or will do to their own. Or maybe Ravage already had that trait. I don't know. I've never come face to face with him."

"Because he's _dead,_" Arcee reminded them both. "Besides, if he _was_ alive on Cybertron, how would just _he_ get to Earth?"

"Many questions to be answered, Arcee," Optimus soothed. "But for now, let's just rest. You need it."

"When I'm done, take a decontamination bath first," Ratchet advised. "_Then_ recharge. Then we will find out where Bulkhead is."

Arcee just weakly nodded and winced as she laid down on her backstrut as Ratchet repaired her virus-encoded limb.

* * *

As he onlined, barely anything could be made out. It looked like... a ceiling... A dark purple, almost black metal ceiling. His optics focused more and more, until he was online enough to feel the throbbing pain in both his legs; he let out a moan of discomfort, and discovered the multiple painful dents throughout his backstrut and chassis as he shifted every so slightly.

"Wha... What is this place..." he murmured to himself. What was this horrid pain in his legs? What the slag happened in that field?"

The field... The corn field; was Arcee still there? he wondered. He worried about everyone else... He wanted to know where he was, and what this pit-slagging pain was. He tried to remember what had happened... All he could recall was this sharp sudden pain in his left ankle plate, and before he knew it his entire leg was numb. And now it had spread to both legs and almost his entire panel. It felt almost like... something bit him. Or someone... Not an Earth creature, he knew. He was much too big for something so small to affect him like this. Decepticons? But what Deception had a jaw like _that?_

Bulkhead gasped as he thought of the only one... The only thing -

Another moan disrupted his thoughts. But it wasn't from him... It was... from across the room?

He turned to look, but saw very little in the darkness. He could make out a shape over on the far wall. The shape was moving! It was alive... Maybe it was another 'Bot. Their shape looked similar in size to Bumblebee the more he focused his optics.

He heard another one scrape against the metal berth. He turned and saw another dark shape, this one more close to Ratchet's size.

_*Oh dear Primus... Please don't let them all be the team...*_

The one he was sure was Bumblebee groaned again. But Bumblebee couldn't groan... He lifted up his servos from the berth, but they were chained down. Bulkhead tried his own, and found the same results.

But... there were only the two shapes... and himself. No one that resembled Arcee or Optimus Prime. He still would like to know what happened... Was Ravage on Earth? After being dead for _eons? _

"H-Hey..." he hoarsed weakly, vocals nearly static. "You guys okay over there?"

The shapes immediately turned towards him, dull blue optics shining bright in the black room. No one responded._  
_

Bulkhead was about to speak something again as the doors swooshed open, two tall broad chuckling mechs shoving a very weak and whimpering one forward. "Pl-Please... D-Don't..."

_*By the...*_ he started thinking... That voice! It wasn't a mech! Unless he was very feminine... It was a femme's vocals. Bulkhead hadn't seen or heard a femme since before the war, but he still could pick one out when he saw one. He thought _any_ mech could. Oh wow... a femme... Just her frame outline in the dark light made it obvious. He wondered which one it was... It didn't sound like Elita One, but it was possibly one her top spies for sure.

"Quit your whining," the second mech snapped. It was no doubt a 'Con. "Or should we have a repeat of our last session, hm?"

The femme quickly shook her head as she winced in pain again. The first Vehicon threw her to a berth and chained her down like the rest of them, still chuckling evilly as she just weakly kicked in unsuccessful protest.

"Now be a good femme, or Megatron will happily get what he wants outta that _sweet_ little aft of yours," he teased.

She just whimpered as the Vehicon patted her cheek plate. He slowly turned and stopped, and turned to look at Bulkhead over on the opposite wall. Bulkhead gulped as he kept a constant stare on both Decepticons, keeping his cool as one of them walked towards him.

"Beefy little mech," he teased, the other smirking. "Don't worry, two ton. You'll have your chance soon enough."

The first one unchained the one that reminded him of Ratchet and forced him to stand up. By the shouts and whimpers of protest as the two forced him out, Bulkhead could tell it was definitely a mech, but not one of their own. When the light from the hallway hit him, his frame was a bright green with a little yellow, and had silver legs. Sometime told him he'd seen that mech before... but he couldn't place a name.

"Shut up," he heard, the with that the doors slammed shut.

The room was pitch black and silent once again.

That is, until it got so quiet you could hear the femme's chokey cycles of air and hissings of pain.

"Beta..." one spoke weakly. "Are you alright?"

The femme wheezed another breathe. "Y-Yes..."

"What did they do to you?"

She merely shook her head as she was too weak to speak, and didn't want to say anything. The other femme, Bulkhead had discovered by her vocals as well, had stopped talking too. The one called Beta laid there in pain... Bulkhead tried not to think what those horrific mechs had done to her. Rape was a big thing they were known for... he wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened.

All of a sudden the doors opened again, and a mech was thrown inside with the doors slamming shut behind him. The brief lighting showed Beta was also a bright green with a little yellow, and the one thrown in and now unconscious was a bright red with blue here and there, and the second femme was mainly pink.

_*Surely it couldn't be... No... That's not possible... Then again, neither is Ravage...*_

"Mirage!"

_*Mirage? Is that really him? Primus, who all was on that ship?*_

"Are you okay?"

No answer.

"M-Mira-age," Beta choked out. "Please, answer us..."

Still no answer.

"Hey you!" one of them shouted after another moment.

Bulkhead looked up and saw two beady optics on him. "Me?"

"Yeah! Are you injured?"

"No... No, I'm okay."

"Can you break through the chains?"

Bulkhead looked down to his arms in the darkness, optics brightening to their fullest to see the chains better. "I don't know..." he said, and pulled rather hard on them.

"Try harder," she whispered harshly.

"I am..."

"If you can break them, you can free us and we can get outta here!"

Bulkhead struggled to yank as hard as he could. He heard his left chain click loudly as it loosened, but he stopped after another klik or so.

"C'mon..."

The warrior just tried again, and eventually loosened the other one. With another couple tries and tugs, he soon had one chain free and finally they both flew to the ground with a loud clatter.

"Don't make too much noise," one reminded him. "They might come back with Springer - "

"Springer?"

"That's right. Do you know him?"

"Yeah..." he said as he eventually got to his pedes. "Yeah, we were Wreckers together..."

"Oh really?" the pink one said as he neared her first. "What's your name?"

Bulkhead grunted as he grabbed the chain and broke it off with full force. "...Bulkhead."

Once the pink femme was on her own pedes, she looked to Beta as he made his way towards her. "Bulkhead..."

"Yeah. I'm with... Optimus Prime and his team."

"Optimus Prime?" The pink one exclaimed almost happily. "He's here? Where? Is he alright?"

"Will you keep your voice down? The 'Cons'll be back any second!"

The femme shut her mouth at the words and watched as the big mech just ripped the chains off like they were plastic. Bulkhead turned around back to her after he helped Beta stand up weakly. "Sorry... I'm just worried and don't know what happened... or why I'm here. Optimus runs the Autobot Outpost Omega One just outside Jasper, Nevada with me and a few others. I don't know his status; I just woke up here."

"Oh..." she sighed. "Yeah, we located a few signals in Jasper but didn't know who it was. I can't believe Optimus - "

"Wait," Beta shushed her. "I hear them..."

"Get down under the berths and stay there," he chirped. "Don't come out until I say."

"What - "

"Just do it!"

The two femmes hunkered down under their berths and waited as Bulkhead did the same. The doors eventually swooshed open, a single strip of light shining on the cold metal floor and revealing two more tall 'Cons with a slumped-over mech.

"Throw him down," one ordered. "He can keep his other offline friend some company."

The other Vehicon chuckled as he watched Springer fall to to the ground with a loud clash, and looked as the second one made his way to the other femme's berth.

He stopped in shock at the empty berth and lifted up a broken chain. "Where are they!"

"What do you mean _where are they?_ They couldn't have gone anywhere!"

"Then why the hell are their chains broke?" he shouted. "What happened - "

Bulkhead just shouted as he ran out from under the berth, wrecking ball transforming and slamming right into the Vehicon's metal helm.

* * *

"Did you ever get a fix on Bulkhead's coordinates?"

"No. Not yet."

"Have you even _tried?_"

Ratchet just turned to Arcee with a look on his faceplate. "No. I've just been standing here all night, waiting for Primus to send him crashing through the ceiling."

Arcee merely snarled at his sarcasm.

Ratchet jumped and turned back to the screen as it just then started to beep. "It's his signal..."

"Is he hurt?"

"No... It says he's fine... But it can't pinpoint his location!" he exclaimed angrily.

"Perhaps, it is because it is cloaked," Optimus spoke up from across the room. He had been watching over Bumblebee's unconscious frame for the past ten kliks, thinking about everything that had happened... that ship, that call... Who was on it? What had bitten Bumblebee and Arcee? He didn't even know if the scout would make it, even though Ratchet said he was fine now. He looked so tired and weak, and his metal was dull and soft, a sign of strong illness. The metal simply looked rotten near his ankle plating, even with the new metal Ratchet had attached. "Bulkhead's signal may be located on the Decepticon warship."

"...Which is cloaked, and why we can't pick it up."

Ratchet just kept his hand on his chin as he thought. "We need to figure out the ship's location," he said.

"What part of_ it's cloaked_ didn't you get...?"

"...But what if we _un_cloak it?"

Arcee just looked to Ratchet confusedly. "What?"

* * *

"If I can hack into the Decepticon mainframe, uncloaking their signal will be a piece of cake," Rafael smiled.

"Just hurry," the medic replied. "We need his signal location."

"I'm trying my best. Do you know any Cybertronian codes?"

Ratchet just scoffed. "Of course."

Rafael turned his laptop screen to Ratchet, the medic humming as his thought it over. "All you need is a code?"

"That's right."

"What about security?"

"I managed to hack through everything; I tried the same thing for this but it didn't work. I'm trying the code way."

Ratchet just sighed to himself and went over everything he could think of in his processor. "Here..." he said, and brought the laptop image onto his main screen. He typed at the large keyboard a long code of squiggles and lines and dots, and entered the Cybertronian code.

"Access denied." The computer nearly smirked at him.

"Umm..." He tried another long code, and got the same results.

"Try this one," Arcee suggested, and typed it in but it still didn't work.

After another five red exclamation marks, Optimus walked over coolly. "If I may..." he said, and slowly but expertly typed at the keyboard.

Of course it works for _him._

"We're in!"

"Now are you completely in their mainframe?"

"Yep. Just gotta turned off the cloaking device, and Bulkhead's signal's location will pop right up."

Everyone watched the large screen as Raf typed at his laptop. It showed everything in the Decepticon mainframe; they could have hacked into anything. Cybertronian data and information, codes, whatever their next move would be... But Bulkhead was their only concern. They ignored everything that popped up as Raf surfed through the data, waiting for the human to finally find the cloaking orders.

"Aaaand... Got it."

"There!"

Bulkhead's signal automatically located itself on the screen, blinking brightly right in the middle of the Nemesis.

"Where is that, Ratchet?"

"It's... just outside _here_," he finally said. "They haven't moved. I don't see how we didn't see them before - "

"Whatever! We found him, now set the groundbridge and go get him!"

"I am afraid it is not that easy, Rafael," Optimus spoke up. "Only one of us, and I, will board the Nemesis to find Bulkhead and bring him back. But we cannot make ourselves known."

"We can 'bridge you inside a storage bunker," Arcee suggested. "From there you go find him and bring him back."

"But we don't know _where_ on the Nemesis he is," Ratchet reminded her.

"It doesn't matter."

Everyone turned towards their leader as he spoke up again.

"We will and find him, and we will find those other Autobots from the fields," he finished.

* * *

"RUN!"

The pink one shot out from under her berth and grabbed Beta's hand, pulling her out and up and helping her run weakly out their prison. "What about Mirage and Springer?"

"Grab one of 'em!" he shouted back as three more Vehicons piled on top of him. "I'll get the other!"

The femme sighed heavily as a Vehicon spotted and lunged for her and Beta. She twirled to the side, the 'Con face-planting the wall as she reached for Mirage and dragged him out of the dark room.

"Eghhh... A-Are you okay?" she asked the green femme as they made it out the room. She nodded in reply as he helped lift Mirage over the pink Autobot's shoulder, wincing in pain as her own stung from the unwanted stretch.

"What about you?"

"I'm alright... Now help me find Chromia and Moonracer."

"What about Firestar?" she breathed painfully with every step.

"...She's dead."

"What? How do you know that?"

"Because while you were still passed out in those straps, I saw her with the bullet holes in her chassis. She's gone."

The two stopped and flew to behind the corner as four more Vehicons ran down the hall towards the large brig. "Well... Where do you think the others are?"

"Who knows. Blurr could be dead with his big mouth for all I know."

Beta actually smiled as they painfully made their way down the empty metal hallway. Mirage gently clinked against the pink metal as they moved slowly, cautiously peering into every little room for signs of their three remaining comrades.

The two continued walking for a long while. It surprised them how they hadn't seen any other Decepticons other than the few Minors that ran their way. Every room they passed was empty, though, although these were just storage rooms. They could tell they were getting closer to the brigs from that retched and vile smell.

The pink femme turned around after a while to glance at Beta, noticing how she'd become fairly quiet. The green femme just walked limply, holding her wrist with the other servo as she tiredly looked through every room they passed.

"Beta..." she eventually spoke. "Tell me what happened."

Beta simply looked up, optics so dull with exhaustion they looked as if they would fall right out of her helm. She just shook it and turned back to the rooms.

The femme stopped and turned around completely to face her friend. "Beta."

"Nothing happened," she whispered as she stopped in her tracks.

"...I know something happened."

"Why do you want to know?"

The pink 'Bot sighed to herself after a moment, and shifted Mirage so her shoulder was more comfortable. "I just... want to be here for you."

"You already are."

"Just tell me..." she eventually said softly. "Did they... _hurt_ you? In... that..."

A simple nod and pressed quivering lips told her a solid 'yes'.

She sighed again as the poor thing tried to hold back the tears. "Oh honey..." she soothed. "Honey, don't cry..."

"I-I'm not..." she sniffled. The other just looked at her, not even wanting to image the mental suffering she was going through, and would for the rest of her lifestream, from being raped. She felt so bad... She wished it would have been her instead of the young femme. Perhaps they would have taken her anyway, though, since they were going to take her before they discovered she wasn't on the berth.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," she soothed naturally. They were only good friends, but she still had that femme nature in her that acted like a mother to everyone. She smoothly stroked Beta's trembling arm and back, relaxing her until they found themselves walking down the hall again.

"You know..." the green one spoke up after another while. "We never would have made it out without him."

"Without who."

"Bulkhead."

"Oh... Yes, I suppose you're right." She gave off a little chuckle. "I'd be scrap metal by now if he hadn't freed me. Or you."

She nodded in reply as they turned the corner. "You think he's alright?"

"I sure hope so. I'd hate for a such a good mech to die like that... and Springer too since he's still in there."

"I wish... wait, look..."

"Hm?"

She looked to where Beta was pointing, and slightly gasped. A servo laid stuck out of a brig cell on the floor, energon leaking all around it.

"Great Primus," she sighed as they ran towards it.

"Oh..." Beta covered her mouth in disgust and horror. "Chromia..."

The poor blue femme laid unconscious on the cold floor, half her faceplate just torn to shreds with her left arm ripped off and thrown across the cell. Her right arm was barely attached to its socket as it rested through the bars on the floor, with whatever remaining parts and circuitry of her destroyed chassis leaked with energon everywhere. The image made the two hope to Primus she _was_ dead... They didn't want her alive and suffering like this.

"Oh..."

"C-C'mon, hon. Don't look." The pink 'Bot urged her on after a moment. "Maybe the others are down here somewhere..."

"What is Ironhide going to say...?" Beta looked like she was going to start crying again at the thought of Ironhide's spark being broken by the news of his lover dead. The thought alone made _her_ spark sink.

"He's still on Cybertron. He'll be alright."

"B-But what if they're in the same shape? What about Powerglide? A-And Inferno?"

"Inferno already knows about Firestar. Fortunately I wasn't the one who had to tell the poor mech. Now come on and help me find the others."

It didn't take long for them to find their green femme sprawled out in the corner of a further brig cell, energon leaking all around her.

"Is she dead?"

"I... I don't know..."

She lowered Mirage down and fiddled with the key to unlock the cell. She slowly stepped in, trying not to cycle in the foul stench as she neared the green Autobot. She squatted down in front of her, and whispered her name.

"Moonracer," she repeated louder. She tapped against her cheek plate, and both femmes gasped as Moonracer suddenly onlined.

"She's alive!"

"'Racer, can you hear me?"

Her optics slowly and painfully adjusted and focused on whoever was speaking to her. She nodded as she finally processed the words, then let out a long groan of sincere pain.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" the pink one asked quickly, and held up four fingers.

"...F-Four..."

She merely smiled as she knew Moonracer would be fine. Well, at least that's one they've found in decent shape... now if only they could find Blurr.

"Can you walk?" Beta asked as the other femme helped her out the brig. Moonracer nodded unsure, but she managed to get better the more steps she took.

"What... is happening..." she moaned.

"We're gonna get you out of here, hon," the pink one soothed. "Don't worry. You're going to be fine."

They walked a few pede steps before Bulkhead ran around the corner, Springer slung over his shoulder while he had Blurr's arm in his other hand. "You guys alright?"

"Hi guys! Do you where we are? My head hurts. What do you think of this ship? Pretty purple... How's Moonracer? Where's Chromia and Firestar? Are you guys okay? Why is 'Racer-"

"Shut it!"

"I see Blurr is fine..." Beta spoke quietly.

The pink femme just nodded slowly to Bulkhead as Moonracer kept gripping her aching head. "We found Moonracer. She's going to be okay."

"Okay..." he replied as he looked around the empty hallways. He still wasn't sure why any alarms weren't sounding - Maybe this was a dream? Surely not... He didn't have time to think. He needed to out of here, _now._ Before any more Vehicons, or Megatron himself, found them.

"Follow me," he eventually said. He ran down the hallway straight across from him, the others running behind him. Bulkhead hardly paid any attention to how Blurr just shot right past them, leaving a blue streak of light behind them in the dim hall. The four just followed Bulkhead, having stopping every now in then for Bulkhead to decide which hall to take.

"You run around here like you know every inch," the pink one panted.

"I've... had my visits."

The femme just looked to Beta slightly behind her. "Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah... Do you need me to take him?"

She just shook her head and said she was fine as they ran. She set him down at their next corner stop to catch her breath, even though she was still getting use to the whole 'breathing' thing. Cycling air indeed help the flow of energon with this atmospheric pressure of the Earth, but it still felt strange.

"Wait, what's that?" Beta pointed to the end of their next hallway towards a glowing orb that seemed to be shining from the storage room.

"Um..." Bulkhead just panted as they ran, _knowing_ the Vehicons he hadn't made unconscious were just a hallway behind them. "It looks like... a groundbridge?"

"Who would send a groundbridge to our coordinates?"

"...What other Autobot team lives on Earth?"

"Optimus Prime?" the pink one asked, shocked. "Or it could be a Decepticon coming through to his ship."

"Well... That's a chance we're willing to take. Besides, Ratchet probably sent it, under Prime's orders, since no one is coming out."

"Ratchet?" Beta stopped dead in the hallway. Bulkhead and the others stopped to recycle their energon flow and turn to her, watching how her faceplate suddenly showed sincere fear and shock.

Bulkhead shifted Springer as he spoke. "That's right... Ratchet. You know him?"

The pink femme looked to Bulkhead as Beta nodded slowly. "I-I can't go through there..."

"Why not? They're coming!"

"It'll be okay, Beta," Moonracer breathed. "Once we get through the 'bridge we can think better."

"C'mon, hon." The pink femme reached out her hand, and the green 'Bot took it. They all started to run once more, Blurr stopping right at the foot of the groundbridge to wait for everyone else. The others picked up full speed just as the other Vehicons ran around the corner, just a few feet from them, when Bulkhead jumped through the glowing storage room with everyone else right behind him.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Keep an optic on Bulkhead's coordinates," Optimus spoke to the medic. "And keep trying to find the others."

"I am, Optimus."

"We'll make sure he's still there," Raf added as he gave him a thumbs up.

The leader merely nodded as he and Arcee turned back towards the open groundbridge. Optimus took the lead and started for the portal, when Arcee made him stop as she saw something.

Optimus slightly moved to the side as Bulkhead came flying through the groundbridge, he and some other green mech crashing to the ground. Ratchet ran over to him as Optimus was about to, but watched as two more smaller mechs ran through.

No... one didn't look like a mech... But a femme?

"Whooo! I haven't been through one o' those since before the war! Well not really, Ultra Magnus and I just visited Junk a few solar cycles ago! Then again that was a spacebr-"

"Shh, Blurr," Moonracer said quietly.

"Who are you?" Raf jumped off his chair to stand against the bars to see them better.

"Blurr! Who are _you?_"

"Um, Raf... What are you doing here?"

"We... crashed here - "

"Just you three?" Ratchet asked as he rolled the green mech on his back and helped Bulkhead to his pedes.

"No... two other femmes."

"Femmes..." Optimus looked up at the talking sea foam 'Bot from where he now stood by the unconscious Bulkhead on the berth.

"What, like, more females?" Raf asked.

Moonracer nodded. "I don't know if there are any others on Cybertron besides us." She looked to Arcee as she just looked her over, wondering if she looked like that... Was she bonded? What did she do on Cybertron? Who were the other femmes? Oh, this would be so weird... Arcee was so used to being the only femme, and now she couldn't stop thinking what it would be like with _three others..._

She didn't even pay attention when the other two finally dashed through the portal.

Or when Optimus had to look twice before he dropped Ratchet's drill, optics wide and lips parted in shock as every memory he ever lived instantly shot through his processor at the image of that beautiful pink femme standing there, in his outpost, right in front of him... But too far away to just reach out and touch her. It was like they were still separated...

The leader barely heard Ratchet's scowling "I needed that!" as he just watched the femme as the groundbridge finally closed. He watched until she found him... until her own pretty optics flickered up to his from across the room.

He mentally panicked as they made sudden optic contact. He saw her own little lips part in bewilderment, her own optics widening as she stayed perfectly still. All these years where they thought each other weren't even alive, when they thought each other were dead from that attack, were over... They were here, right in front of each other, barely noticing how the entire room fell into a deep deathly silence.

That is, until the semi stopped his shaking hands and formed two small, two quiet words.

"Elita... One..."


	2. I Never Stopped Loving You

**Basis:** Prime

**Pairings:** uhmm OptimusxElita (small PowerglidexMoonracer)

Second chapter!

I think this is the fastest I've ever updated... You are so welcome. :3

Hope you enjoy it:)

* * *

[ August 16, 3:08 AM ]

"This... is a little strange..."

Everyone kept their optics glued on the two. No one could even think what kind of thoughts were going through their leader's or that femme's processor. Ratchet had known Optimus ever since he was still Orion Pax, and Elita One was still Ariel. He had seen them when they were still together, fresh off, had been with him through all his hardships... He even saw with his own optics how Elita had been taken alive in that explosion. Optimus' look of pain and sorrow had said it all. He would never forget that look... And he knew Optimus would never forget how Ratchet looked for orns after his own break-up.

And seeing his ex-girlfriend right in the groundbridge entryway certainly didn't relax him.

"Uhm... Ratchet?"

Arcee and the others found themselves now staring at how both were shocked at what they were seeing. It was almost funny how both mechs' lips were parted the optics widened almost the same amount... The two femmes weren't very different from them, either.

"Um... Raf?"

The human looked to Arcee tiredly as she spoke to him. The sudden break in the scary silence had nearly everyone jump, but no one's attention left the two pairs of lovers.

"Why don't I drive you home... It's really late."

Raf just slowly flickered his gaze over to Bumblebee, who had also focused his attention on his friend. "Why not Bee?"

"That's fine," she said as the scout blurted out soft beeps. "Do you feel like transforming?" she asked him, only to have him nod. Since he was now walking on his own, Arcee didn't see any harm in having him transform and drive.

After the two left the base, Ratchet made the first movement and stepped slowly out from behind Bulkhead's berth. Beta kept her optics on his as he neared her, not even knowing where to start as to say something to the medic. Once he got close enough to touch her, he looked back to Optimus to see his lips were now pressed together, and so were Elita's.

Beta suddenly shifted her sore arm to grab the back of her head in nervousness. Ratchet turned back to her, noticing how she was purposely trying to avoid anymore optic contact. He just slowly walked away from her, ending this awkward silence once and for all.

"Is anyone injured to a certain intensity?"

Elita One's gaze floated from Optimus' to Beta's. "Beta and Moonracer are."

"You're hurt?" he asked almost subconsciously to Beta, almost out of habit from caring for her for so long before. He swallowed and cleared his vocals and spoke again. "What happened?" he asked, almost like a serious demand.

"Beta was - " But she stopped as soon as Beta grabbed her arm and shook her head with sincere fear. The pink femme simply nodded in reply and faced Ratchet again. "Moonracer might have a concussion."

Ratchet turned back from where he had walked and started towards the sea foam femme. He simply walked over the unconscious Mirage lying on the floor and shined a light in her optic, then the other, followed by other basic system checks to test for a concussion.

Elita One eventually looked over to glance at Optimus, but he was gone.

"So how long have you been on this weird smelly planet?" Blurr finally started. "Are you guys winning the war? What happened to that green one over there? What's this thing do? Who are - "

"Blurr!" Elita shouted at him. Ratchet mentally rolled his optics, knowing that mech would no doubt easily give him a processor ache.

"Sorry about him," Moonracer apologized as Ratchet had her sit down on an empty berth. "He can't really help it."

"Don't apologize. I know how he is."

"...I didn't figure you remembered all that much from before the war..."

Ratchet softly smirked. "I still remember plenty," he replied, and soon looked over to Beta standing weakly next to Elita. "...Some Autobots... more than others."

Moonracer just sighed to herself at the words as Ratchet typed at a monitor next to her. "Do you think Optimus still loves her?" she eventually asked.

"Who, Elita?"

She just nodded.

"Um... Oh, I don't know, Moonracer. If you and Powerglide were separated for millennia do you think he would still love you?"

The femme looked down to the floor as she thought after a while. Ratchet gently turned her helm from side to side to look for any dents and whatnot, and she finally gave him a soft reply.

"...I think so."

Ratchet swiped his thumb over the small few dents in the back of her helm as she spoke. "...I would still love him."

"Then does Elita still love Optimus?"

By now Moonracer thought the medic knew the answer but was just messing with her. "I believe so," she smiled.

Ratchet actually gave a small smile back as he buffed out the dents. "But tell me," she spoke up after another moment. "Do _you_ still love _her?_"

His smile slowly faded as he continued using the buffer and thought about the question. He had practically been asking himself the same one ever since she ran through that portal and the medic spotted her... how tired and beat up she looked. She was still as beautiful as she was before the war, of course, and he hadn't seen her in so long. _Did_ he still love her? Did she even still love _him?_ He had no idea... and frankly he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. What if she was still mad at him from the break-up? What if she was with another mech? Primus, what if she was with another mech... the sudden thought made him shudder inside. He didn't even want to think about that. But he had to reply to Moonracer's question.

"Uhm... I..."

"...Are afraid she doesn't love you back?"

Ratchet stopped buffing and pulled away to look her in the optics. "What?"

"I can tell you're scared."

"Pffft... Scared? Of what?"

"Of her! You love her... I can definitely tell. But you don't think she loves you back."

After a while of scoffing, Ratchet started the buffer once more. "I... am not..."

"So you don't love her?"

Ratchet just said nothing for a while. He finally finished buffing out the last dent and replacing what metal needed it, thankful that he didn't have to stand there and feel obligated to answer her right away rather than stand there and feel more awkward.

"I... Think if I do, you'll find out sooner or later."

Moonracer looked at the back of Ratchet's helm as he faced the monitor again. She gave a small smile at his answer, figuring he did but was just too shy to admit it.

But that was alright, she thought. Beta was the same way.

* * *

"Where did Elita One go?" Moonracer asked as she came back into the main lobby. Beta just shrugged in reply.

"I don't know. She was right here, and I turn around and she's gone..." she spoke quietly. "...Are you feeling better?"

She nodded as Ratchet came back out behind her. "He's making me recharge quick to settle my neurochips. You'll be okay, right?"

Beta nodded again as she watched Moonracer follow the red mech into a separate room, almost panicking as the doors shut behind them. She couldn't help but feel a little strange and fearful when Ratchet soon came back out by himself, and it was just them, alone in the huge outpost. Arcee had wandered outside she thought, for some fresh air probably. Elita was gone, Optimus was gone... Springer, Mirage, and Bulkhead where now all passed out on berths ready to be attended to. Blurr had probably raced outside as well to burn off his heated energy, and Bumblebee still hadn't returned.

Ratchet just walked right past her like she wasn't even there.

He soon came back to her after decontaminating his hands, and finally made optic contact with her as he neared her. It was like they were complete strangers.

"Now what happened that you didn't want to tell me earlier?" he finally spoke. Beta nearly jumped at his quiet voice... yet it was still so loud in the large empty med bay. It was the same voice that would speak to her every night when they got off their shifts. The one that said goodnight to her every night, good morning every morning, offered her energon, offered her a kiss... and he still had those same cool lips that would ever so gently brush up against her cheek or her lips when he did kiss her, or against her chassis and the rest of her slender body when they made love. Such memories brought feelings so close to pain that she shoved them aside and focused on his question.

"Um... nothing..."

"Mhm."

"What?"

"Beta..." he said softly, having not called her her name for so long; It almost felt... _good._ Like it finally brought back a _good_ memory tonight... for once. "Elita... started something, and you stopped her. Just tell me what happened."

Beta just stared into his tired blue optics for the longest time, trying to read his thoughts the way she used to could. She simply shook her head as her gaze floated down to the floor.

After studying her actions repeatedly, Ratchet soon realized it wasn't just an issue of _not wanting_ to tell him, but a matter of personal space. It was messing with her processor. She didn't want to tell him because it made her uncomfortable. He sighed to himself as he knew all she needed was comfort. But how could he comfort her? This was just as awkward for him as it was for her. He couldn't just... reach out and _hold_ her... hug her, kiss her...

At least, not yet.

"Beta, as a medic, I just need to know... Nothing more."

Her gaze lifted but only shifted to the wall to her right. "I'm fine. I don't need your help."

He tilted his head the way he remembered she would giggle over and give him her attention, but it didn't work this time. "I know what happened."

"Then why are you asking me?" she scoffed.

"Because... I need to know if you won't tell me because... it makes you feel... uncomfortable, or - "

Beta just scoffed again and let her head fall into her hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just need to know," he added quickly.

"Yes... Yeah. It does. Very uncomfortable. Is that better? Are we done now?"

Ratchet's lips just slowly parted at her frustrated reply. It really was unexpected... He didn't mean to tick her off. He was just trying to help, like the medic he was and was trained to be. "I'm sorry, Beta... Don't be mad."

She sighed heavily as her vision flickered back to the floor, and eventually up to Ratchet. "I'm... I'm not mad."

"...You're not..."

"No! I mean, yes, I'm a little mad... at this whole situation... at you..."

"Still? Why?"

"The last time we saw each other was after our - !"

"...Our... break up."

Her quivering lips let out another heavy sigh. "Y-Yeah."

"Look, Beta, I know you're mad, and I'm sorry. I'm still mad we even broke up in the first place. But I still care about you, you know that? I'm a medic, and I need to know what happened so I can help you."

"You- You didn't want to break up?"

"No! Of course not, Beta... I've been mad about _that_ this whole time. That's why _I'm_ mad."

She said nothing as she processed the medic's words. Did he really mean _all_ of that? Surely not... or else why did they break up? Primus, she was so tired and hurt she couldn't think about anything.

"Now, let's just go over here and I'll look at you."

He simply offered her his servo and she finally took it, liking how he squeezed his around hers like when they were still together. He would squeeze and let go, squeeze and let go... like he really did care about her as much as he said he did. "W-What..."

"Shhh..." he soothed as he sat her down on the main examination berth. "You'll be alright. Just relax."

"Wait- What are you doing? Stop!"

"Alright, alright, I'm not doing anything," he said as he set down the tool he had just picked up and tapped it against the inside of her thigh.

"What... Why - "

"Beta, you're okay. I'm not doing anything. But I need you to tell me some things."

Beta just watched Ratchet as he sat on the front of the berth that was a little lower than the berth itself, designed to examine certain parts of a mech. Ratchet had the femme sitting with a leg draped over either side of the berth, with himself positioned right in between and looking slightly upwards at her at he soothed her.

"Tell me what you're doing!"

"I was going to look inside you for anything - "

"Wait!"

"Beta, relax. The tool is right here, see? I set it down. I'm just talking to you right now. Is that okay?"

After another moment off watching his every move in desperate fear, she eventually nodded. Ratchet actually felt sorry for the poor femme... If he was right about his theory, he couldn't blame her for feeling so scared and threatened with what he was currently doing to her. Or _would_ currently do to her.

"Now, just tell me yes or no. Okay?"

She nodded again as he gave a soft small smile to her. "When you were prisoner of the Decepticons, did they hurt you?"

Beta swallowed and nodded her helm slowly after a moment.

"Alright... Now, when they hurt you, was it a physical beating or punishment?"

"Yea... Yes."

"Did it involve anything besides their own hand?"

She nodded quickly at that one.

"Was it... Was it something - "

"It was their spike."

Ratchet paused as she finally spoke. He kept his gaze on her even though he could see how she was struggling to not make contact with him whatsoever. "It was..."

She simply nodded again.

Ratchet sighed deeply to himself. "Alright... Is that what happened that you didn't want me to know about?"

After another good solid minute she nodded slowly again. "Yeah," she whispered.

"Okay..."

"I'm sorry."

"...What are you sorry for?"

"For not wanting you to know... And being so paranoid..."

Ratchet merely sighed a smile again, eventually getting her to look at him. He wanted so badly to just... _hold_ her. Comfort her, like he would so many times before. But he couldn't... not without it being awkward. He couldn't love her the way she needed it, or call her by his nickname for her. "Listen, Beta," he spoke softly. "You have _nothing_ to be sorry for. Do you understand?"

She nodded after a moment.

"This couldn't possibly be your fault. You know that. I know that. What they did to you... I know it's scary. You don't deserve to go through this. I wish..."

"...What?"

"I just wish... you knew how much I still care about you."

Beta soon found herself smiling at his words. For some reason it surprised her that he felt that way - That he _did_ care for her as much as he said he did. Ratchet just started speaking again, changing the subject back to their original one, and noticing how her smile suddenly dropped again.

"How many were there? Do you remember how many... hurt you?"

"Three. Megatron was one. I don't remember the others... I think maybe Thundercracker..."

Ratchet swallowed and pushed the gruesome thoughts aside. "Now, last few questions, did they make you overload?"

Beta was trying so desperately to not burst into tears at his point as she nodded. All of these feelings rushing through her whole body... feelings for Ratchet, for all her comrades who may or may not make it now, feelings towards the Decepticons and everything that had happened... Ratchet wanted to just shut up about the whole thing, but he knew it was part of his job. He had to know these things. "Beta, it's alright. Everything will be okay. Just one more question."

She nodded quickly as she suddenly found herself holding Ratchet's hand again. "Did anyone of them sparkmerge with you when they over- "

"No," she shook her head. "No..."

"They just... ejectul-"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Are we done?"

"I'm just going to take a quick look inside - "

"What? Why?"

"Just to see if anything's torn or abused. The last thing you want is an infection in there."

She exhaled chokingly as she finally agreed to lay down on the berth as Ratchet helped her. "Just stay calm," he smiled. "Don't tense up. Just relax."

The femme only whimpered as Ratchet clicked back her interface panel, feeling the cool air brush over her sore and sensitive valve. She tried not to think how Ratchet was touching it with his own clean hands... How he... expertly, swiped his fingers across the ridge, just like when they would interface some nights. She offlined her optics and swallowed hard as she felt a metal tool being inserted up inside, shivering as it hit a sensory node.

"Sorry," he apologized to the reaction. "Just remember, Beta, I'm a medic. That's all."

"I know... But how many femmes come around for you to do this?" she asked rhetorically.

"Arcee has her regular checkups as well." He knew she was just nervous and angry, but answered her anyway to maybe see if it would relax her any bit.

After he got the clamp where he wanted it, he set the lock so it wouldn't close on the walls and stood up to retrieve his light. He simply shined it around the walls, viewing everything inside, noticing how there was indeed tearage around the walls. Minor, but it still left now-dried energon along the seams.

"Besides," Ratchet soon spoke up again. "It's not like this is the first time I've seen your valve."

Beta just onlined her optics and looked down at Ratchet. She couldn't help that small smile that escaped past her lips at that comment... For some reason it made her feel a lot better.

"At least I wasn't a virgin, either," she added, and listened to him chuckle.

She hissed immediately as she suddenly felt a cold gel fill the inside of her sore valve, but let out a long sigh of relief as it quickly took the heated pain away. "This salve should help heal the tears and make it stop hurting," he explained. "But that's it."

"I'm done?"

"You're all done."

Ratchet closed her panel and helped her off the berth to her pedes. "Thanks..." she said softly.

"You're welcome," he smiled. Beta gave him a second look and smiled back, thinking maybe this wouldn't be so awkward after all.

* * *

Optimus stood facing out over the desert from the rooftop, watching the dust as it moved about in the wind through the shallow air. He just observed from a distance, how it swirled around the stationary cacti and the floating tumbleweeds, almost like an exotic dance of some sort. His optics flickered up to the sky, wondering what Megatron was currently doing. What devious plans were going through that vile processor of his right now. He couldn't help but think about the cruel things he _knew_ the filthy Decepticon had done to those Autobots... Those femmes... Oh Primus, he couldn't even imagine the fear still going through their every circuit.

The semi was so lost in thought about them... about Elita One, the femme he had loved for eons, and then she just disappears off the face of Cybertron, until now. After millennia of fighting this war, after searching for her until he knew there was no hope, he still never gave up on her. And now, out of the blue she comes running through his groundbridge... into his base, right in front of him. The thoughts made him so overwhelmed that he hadn't even noticed the pede steps stepping quietly behind him, slowly approaching him from the roof entrance.

Optimus simply stayed facing the open air, even though he knew it was Elita standing behind him, staring at the back of his helm with those pretty blue optics. He said nothing as he listened to the silence, her soft cycling of this new Earth air, the wind rushing over the desert floor and against their thick metal...

"This is... a nice place," he heard. The voice that was still as soft and gentle as he remembered.

He kept his optics on the planet before him.

The pede steps started again, growing slightly louder as they slowly made their way closer to him. But, not behind him anymore... To the right of him. He barely spotted the pink metal, glazing in the dawning sunlight, out of the corner of his optic.

They stood there on the rooftop together, side by side, for the longest silent while. Elita had her hands draped over the railing as Optimus never did uncross his own arms.

"It's beautiful," he heard her speak again.

Optimus lightly nodded, and the femme just glanced his way then back towards the sunrise.

"Optimus?" she eventually spoke after another long moment.

The semi turned his head to her almost cautiously. He was finally looking at her again, even though she still looked out over the vast open space. His optics tried to focus on just hers, but he couldn't help as they flickered all over that pretty little faceplate. The way the metal would jump out in places, then become so smooth as it followed the rest of the helm down into her neck and her backstrut. It was perfect... Exactly how he remembered everything.

"Elita." He eventually made his vocals speak something as he let his arms fall to his side.

Elita One turned back to look at her lover, hands clenching around the railing.

"I... thought..."

"I know."

Optimus kept his gaze locked on hers, studying what thoughts were racing through her processor. The way her optics flickered all over his told him how tired and worried she was, let alone surprised and full of excitement at everything that had happened so far and everything she had recently discovered.

Like the fact that her lover, whom she'd thought had been killed eons ago, had been alive on a different planet all this time. The same Optimus she knew and _still_ loved, was standing right here, right in front of her... She could reach out and touch that handsome faceplate she'd missed for too long, _finally._

Optimus almost wanted to just reach out and stroke that beautiful faceplate like the way he would before the war... To kiss her once more. Just _one_ little kiss... for the one he knew and _still_ loved, who was standing right here, right in front of him.

In fact, it didn't surprise him that he had, almost subconsciously, found himself doing just what he wanted to do. His hand rested against the side of her helm, where her own rested against his. His thumb swept across her sweet cheek plate so softly; just a little touch of softness that made her smile just as lightly.

Optimus merely smiled with the sincere care he still carried for his femme when he saw that single tear flutter down her warm cheek plate. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the wet streak, listening to Elita sigh so peacefully as he kissed her tear away.

Another tear fell as he pulled away, but only far enough to keep his forehelm a few inches from hers. "Don't cry," he whispered so faintly.

"I'm not," she whispered back, and smiled as Optimus smiled. His thumb tickled across her bottom lip at it quivered, and another tear fell from the opposite optic.

She found his lips so close to hers that she could fell his warm breath breathing into her as she tried to stifle the tears of joy and fear. Her other hand found a place to rest against the back of her mech's helm, offlining her wet optics as Optimus did the same. She only felt his cool, wet lips push against hers, closing and locking into a passionate kiss she'd been longing and needing from him for too long.

It was... amazing. Optimus had almost forgotten how wonderful kissing his femme was. Elita's circuits filled with adrenaline and warmth at the touch, wanting so much more... needing him, needing Optimus' touch and love.

She tilted her helm as he did the same, deepening the kiss, pulling back and diving back in with so much affection it was almost too much. Both found the semi's other hand trickling down her side, sliding across her waistline and around her lower backstrut.

Ohhh, _Primus,_ it felt so good...

Optimus nearly regretted it as they broke the kiss, not wanting it to end. He feared if it did, they might never have a moment like it again. But he wondered, was this even right? He was the Autobot commander... in charge of everything, of keeping the planet safe... He shouldn't be going around having fun with his _girlfriend._ It... didn't feel like him. This kiss, yes, it felt amazing, but just not... him.  
His lips still floated right above hers as he slowly onlined his optics, watching as hers followed.

"I still love you," she sighed.

He simply smiled at the words, and gently kissed her forehelm. "I never stopped loving you, Elita."

She looked up into his bright optics and smiled back as they let go of each other. The Prime soon turned back to the railing and placed one hand over it, watching the desert once again. Elita turned back as well, one hand draped over the bar as the other found Optimus' and brought it up to the railing.

The semi just smiled to himself as he wind rushed over the warmth of her hand in his, holding it tightly. He knew their love for each other was still as strong as ever.

* * *

[ August 16, 7:35 AM ]

"Ratchet..."

"Yes Arcee."

Arcee paused with her arms still crossed, eventually making the medic turn from the mangled offlined Mirage to face her. His face fell in shock as he watched the blue femme's own look so depressed, optics so wide with horror that they looked like they would burst into tears.

"Arcee? What is it?" he asked with a comfort.

Her optics flickered up to his and she began to speak, vocals so chopped with static the medic surely thought she was going to cry. "I saw him."

"You... saw the mech?" he asked after a moment , knowing Springer was too beat up and dirty to be told apart from the dead. Even Ratchet didn't know who the mech was until he heard Elita One and Beta talking about him, and then he started to recognize him. He was actually surprised that Arcee, of all 'Bots, hadn't even paid attention. She was too focused on the others, on the femmes, on the awkward silences, to even bother looking at the mech sprawled out on the floor as Bulkhead laid the same. It didn't even occur to her, to put two and two together... to think this was the same mech to whom that ship belonged. That this mech was _Springer._

Arcee nodded to Ratchet, optics again fixed on the wall as she thought.

Ratchet huffed to himself. "Arcee, I'm... so sorry..."

"Don't be," she clicked. "It's not your fault. I just... can't believe I didn't... _recognize..._"

"I know. And I'm sorry he's this way - "

"He's going to be okay, right?"

Ratchet paused at the edge in her voice. He couldn't help but feel so sorry for her... She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to lose him in the first place, and then _both_ of her favorite partners. And now her love interest _returns,_ and she has to watch him die? No, he thought. He wouldn't let it happen. He wouldn't let her suffer anymore from those 'Cons.

He inhaled and exhaled like a typical stressed medic. "Springer... has received some, _major_ injuries. Most of which _are_ repairable, but currently I am not sure how fully functional he will become after he's online."

"Then why aren't you fixing him?" she asked more demanding.

"I... Mirage... I'm afraid, has been, _hurt_ the most - "

"At least you can tell who he is!"

"Arcee, please, listen to me. I know you're upset, but I've stabilized Springer so he's currently out of danger of offlining permanently. I looked him over; yes, he's injured to a major extent, but Mirage is worse - "

"How?"

Ratchet sighed again. "He was raped multiple times. His panel is nearly detached from him, his spike is mangled so much that it won't fit back in its housing, his valve is torn everywhere..."

He stopped at Arcee's look of horror and embarrassment. "I... will try to attend to him as soon as I can..." he finished quietly.

The motorcycle exhaled very choppily as she huffed a quiet "Okay". She quickly turned around and left, leaving Ratchet's jaw dropped in sympathy as he watched her brush more tears away. She walked past the room with the recharging Beta and Moonracer safe inside, past the berths that held their two wreckers and noble, past a now-worried Bumblebee, all without looking at anything but the floor ahead of her.

Ratchet turned back to Mirage as Bumblebee approached him, watching Arcee as she walked away sadly.

"No, Bumblebee, there's nothing you can do," the medic replied to his bleeps and blurts.

After a moment the scout slumped his shoulders and started to walk away again, until Ratchet called out to him. "Have you seen Elita One? I still need to do a systems check on her."

More long and loud noises escaped past his vocals.

"On the roof?" The words made him turn back around to face him. "With Optimus?"

Bumblebee nodded.

Ratchet thought for a moment, the muscle car just watching him in curiousity. "You don't think..."

The scout whirled his optics and shrugged in response.

"No. Surely not."

But Bumblebee's words of why wouldn't they and how it made perfect sense had him thinking more. As the yellow mech walked away, Ratchet just shoved the thoughts aside and got back to work on the noble.

"Optimus..." he couldn't help but chuckle to himself after a while. "And Elita..."

Ratchet just fiddled with the blue panel until it eventually wiggled all the way off so he could replace it. "Primus, I need to get out more."


	3. Stumbling At First

**Basis:** Prime

**Pairings: **OptimusxElita**  
**

GAH NOW I GOTTA ADD EFFIN SMOKESCREEN.

WHY.

Oh well, he's cool. I suppose. Naw, he was purdy durn awesome.

But I dunno if he's even gonna be a regular member of Prime now... But I will include him anyway. :)**  
**

buuuuut . . .

~ Le sexy times for OxE! :-D ~

Lemme know what you guys think;)

BUT I finished First Timer! Now I can update for this one possibly a little quicker... but if I start the sequel anytime soon then it won't make much difference. Oh well. :P

I swear I add like some sort of smiley face at the end of everything. Oh well.

* * *

[ August 16, 4:22 PM ]

"Wow..."

Jack stood in front of Elita One, looking up, shocked that more female Autobots had even existed on Cybertron.

"So... How did you get here again?" Miko asked. **  
**

Moonracer looked down and smiled. "We spotted a Decepticon ship beckon and followed it here. Since only few of them still remain on Cybertron, we found it suspicious and discovered the others on this planet."

"Unfortunately," Beta added quietly.

"How many of you are there?"

"We lost two by the Decepticons," Elita answered. "But Blurr, Mirage, Springer, Beta, Moonracer, and I all managed to escape, thanks to your friend Bulkhead."

"Blurr? Who's - "

"I can't find them anywhere, Elita! Where are they? Where are we, where am I - What this thing? - Ohhhh they're coming, they're coming for us, aren't they? The Decepticons - Did they get them? Are they still on the ship? Speaking of ships, where is our ship? Decepticons, Decepticons, Decepticons! Why would they do this? Oh no oh no, Elita, what - "

"Blurr! Calm down. What are you talking about?"

"Where on Cybertron are they? Did they get captured?"

"Who, Blurr?"

"Chromia and Firestar, of course! Who do you think I'm talking about, silly femme?"

Moonracer and Beta both looked to Elita One. Miko's jaw still remained dropped, Jack and Raf's eyes just wide at the bright blue 'Bot and his streak of glowing light as he shot around the room, spewing 100 words a second.

"Blurr," she started softly. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what? All I remember is we were on Cybertron yesterday, chasing a beckon and crashed here. The Decepticons got us didn't they?"

"Yes, Blurr, don't you remember being captured?"

"Oh a little I suppose," he chirped as he picked up Ratchet's drill, only to have the medic make him put it down. "I don't remember much though. Do you remember what happened?"

All three humans turned to Elita for her reply. "...Yes, Blurr. I remember."

"Blurr has a concussion," Ratchet mumbled to Beta. "That's probably why he doesn't remember anything."

Beta muttered the same words to Elita One, and the femme leader sighed. "Alright," she whispered. "Blurr, Chromia and Firestar aren't here anymore."

"I know that! Where are they?"

"Well, when we were captured, Firestar was shot, and Chromia was attacked. They're both in the Well of Allsparks."

Blurr's light suddenly stopped, and his mouth closed. He lowered his arms as he stared at Elita One, optics dimming as he instantly looked more sad than anyone had ever seen him. The mech actually walked at normal speed, almost slowly, away from everyone after a moment, and left through the desert entrance.

Moonracer turned back to Elita One. "Poor mech..."

"Should I go talk to him?"

"Perhaps that would be wise," she replied. "Good luck finding him, though."

Beta ran out the entrance to find Blurr as the three teens still said nothing. Ratchet returned to Springer's offline form and continued rewiring the frame and stabilizing him, as Elita walked out the entrance and transformed into her Cybertronian car.

"How is Mirage?" Moonracer asked as she stepped up next to Ratchet.

"Mirage will be fine. I've replaced all of his panel equipment and broken armor, and restored what function units and vital systems he needed repairing.

"I know he was raped too," she said. "A lot. They took him out about every ten kliks."

Ratchet sighed disgustedly and shook his helm in disappointment. "What about Beta?"

"They only took her once, but she was gone for almost half a cycle." She looked over to Ratchet's saddened optics flickering dimly as he operated on the green mech. She couldn't even image how he felt, and didn't exactly want to. Powerglide had gotten captured plenty of times, but not hurt like this. She remembered the relief flowing through her circuits when they found each other, and were reunited and happy they both were alright. But she had seen how perfect Ratchet and Beta had been together, when they were still together, and how much the mech had cared for the femme. Even though they were exes, she knew the medic still had feelings for her, and had known that Beta definitely still had feelings for him. When he saw her, and discovered what had happened to her, she knew it nearly broke his spark.

"Listen," she said, and placed her servo on his backstrut to lean in closer. "I know how you feeling about her. And I know you're doing everything you can you protect her."

"Moonracer, I'm fine. I don't need you to comfort me."

"I'm not comforting you. I know how it feels... You're just _aching_ to comfort _her,_ it's written all over you!"

"It is not."

"Yes it is," she whispered. "I've seen how she's been lately... The last thing she needs is to feel awkward around you. You need to show her how you feel."

Ratchet stayed quiet for a moment as he finished the framework around Springer's spark chamber. "I... will... do my best."

"Do more than just your best, Ratchet. Love her. Like you always have. Get back together with her."

"And risk another fight or separation?"

"Love takes a lot of risks," she smiled. "You think Powerglide and I are the galaxy's perfect couple?"

Ratchet simply smirked and pumped more energon through the connection. "Of course not. No one is."

"_Exactly._ Now, are you gonna mope around and be a grumpy old medic? Or take an old friend's advice and go after your femme?"

"As I told you before, you'll find out sooner or later."

Moonracer smiled and crossed her arms and turned to leave. "Sooner I hope," he heard her say.

* * *

"Miraaaa-age..."

The noble did nothing.

"Mirage?" she whispered again.

The faint beeping remained at its gentle speed.

"Maybe he's not ready to online yet," Elita One whispered as she walked over to Beta, and placed a servo on her shoulder. "Give him time. He'll be alright."

Beta sighed softly and backed away with her leader, only to rush back when the beeping sounded more rapidly.

It slowed down as a flicker of light shined from both optics, fluttering off and on until they were fully online. Mirage let out a strangled groan of pain, and moaned again as he moved his arms to grasp his helm.

"Mirage," she smiled. "How do you feel?"

He simply groaned again as he tried to sit up. "Um... in pain?"

Beta looked at Elita as she helped him position himself comfortably on the berth. "Ratchet fixed you up."

"Ratchet? Where am I?"

"You're on Earth," she said softly. "We escaped to this Autobot base from the Decepticons."

"What... How did we escape? Where is everyone?"

"An Autobot stationed here on Earth was also captured, but got us out. He, you, and Springer were all unconscious and have been operated on ever since we got here."

"Really?" He slowly rubbed the back of his helm, and gasped slightly at the sudden pain in his panel and at the thoughts he suddenly remembered. He looked down and whimpered, gently brushing his fingers over his new panel, as weird as it may have looked to the femmes. He didn't care; how did he get this new panel? He wanted to open it up and see his equipment... if it was still as damaged as he remembered it felt. If his spike was still about to fall off, or if it was brand new or restored. But that he knew would wait until the femmes were gone.

"Yeah," Beta sighed as she watched him touch the new equipment. "We all knew how bad it was. You're lucky Ratchet was able to replace and fix everything before you got too bad of an infection."

"Replace?"

Both femmes nodded.

"You're just lucky they didn't scrap you when you were that vulnerable," Ratchet chirped. The two turned to face him as he made his way towards Mirage's main monitor and typed at it. "How are you feeling?"

"Uhm... okay, I guess..."

"Adjusting to the new hardware, I imagine?"

He looked awkwardly to the two femmes smiling at him. "Y-Yes."

Elita moved her helm closer to Beta's and whispered into his audio. "Perhaps we should leave and let them alone, hm?"

Beta nodded and gave Ratchet a quick glimpse before she and Elita left the two mechs. Ratchet watched her leave and turned back to Mirage. "Now, would you mind telling me everything you remember?"

"No... Why?"

"A simple memory test. First off, what's your name?"

"Mirage."

"Are you bonded?"

"Yes."

"To whom?"

"Hound."

Ratchet smiled and typed the results into the monitor. "Sparklings or expecting?"

"Nope. Not yet anyway."

"Any medications you are taking or are allergic to?"

"No, I thought this was a memory test."

"In a way it is," he replied as he finished typing at the screen. "I'm seeing how well your long-term memory is at the moment with your heavy concussion while at the same time retrieving basic information I need to know about you. I haven't given you a checkup since before the war, as you know."

Mirage chuckled lightly. "And Cybertron is still missing out on one of its finest medics."

"A complimenting as that is, I'm afraid the war needed a medic more," Ratchet smiled gently. "Now this may be a bit personal, but how is your bondage? Do you feel threatened in any way, feel depressed or not loved?"

"No, no, and no," he smiled. "Great bondage."

"And are you currently sexually active?"

"Of course."

"Any problems with your old interface equipment? Nothing uncomfortable?"

"Nope, nothing's wrong."

"Good," he finally spoke after another moment. "Still as healthy as I remember."

Mirage gave a small smile before Ratchet continued with the memory test. The more they talked, the farther they got into his memory of everything that had happened since they left for Earth. What happened with the Decepticons, what he had felt, the same questions he asked Beta when she was raped, only Ratchet knew the noble was much worse and experienced the terror more than once. Mirage had told him he couldn't remember how many, but it was definitely more than six times. Six overloads he remembered, and the beatings and slashing to his body and abuse to his panel and equipment. He remembered Megatron taking him, and Dreadwing in private. A couple Minors were ordered to help along as well.

Beta had mentioned a Decepticon named Thundercracker... Thundercracker hadn't been on Earth before. But she obviously could tell a face when she saw one. Maybe he came along with Ravage and the others. All Ratchet knew was that the Decepticons had gained a lot more than a femme's valve that day.

* * *

[ August 16, 7:35 PM ]

"Good evening, Optimus," Elita greeted to the Prime's surprise. He turned around to see his lover, Elita snatching a quick kiss on his lips before he even processed it.

Bumblebee whirled his vocals and widened his optics in amusement at the sight, Optimus just somewhat thankful the scout was the only other 'Bot in the room. He watched Elita One's backstrut leave and walk down the hall, down the hall that only led to everyone's separate quarters...

He couldn't help the urge to follow her. He set Ratchet's data pad down and did what he wanted, slowly spying on the femme and seeing her glance back, to him almost, before she smiled and turned into Optimus' quarters at the very end.

He let a small smile slip past his lips as he continued walking. He reached his berth room and peered inside, looking back to make sure no one was following _him,_ and entered. The doors suddenly shut behind him, but he could only smile as a dark figure moved swiftly to his left.

"Orion," he heard her giggle.

"Ariel," he whispered playfully. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here," she sighed lustfully as he appeared in front of him just as he whipped around, their smiling lips meeting once again. Optimus tilted to deepen the kiss, servo resting against the back of her helm as she moaned lightly.

"Mmmm, I want you, Optimus," she giggled. "Take me. Like you used to."

His lips slightly parted with his heated smile, huffing a bit of warm breath down her throat. "Please, let me..."

Elita turned them so he stood right above his berth, forcing him to sit down as she straddled his lap. His hands slid all across her waist and hip plating as his lips found hers, kissing her passionately as they made their way more comfortably on the berth.

"Oh..." she gasped as he found a deep wire. "Remember those hot nights on Cybertron? Where it was so sticky it always turned you on?"

Optimus chuckled deeply but softly. "How can I forget? We made the best love on those hot nights."

She laughed gently at the words, humming in pleasure as Optimus twirled his fingers around her deepest wires on the sides of her chassis. He moved to under her breast plates, tickling and moving his hands with pure grace, stimulating her sensors with such a delicate touch he had her grinding her body against his.

Optimus kissed her left breast plate right on the tip, earning a soft mewl. He worked his way to the other one with kisses, Elita kissing his lips from time to time as she started to gently rub her panel against the semi's.

Optimus huffed a breath of hot air in between her two breasts as he played with her panel seems, searching for the latch to retract it, and smiling as he had success. He felt her cool, slick lubricant barely trickle down onto his thigh and onto the berth, chuckling as he listened to her whimpers of want.

Elita retracted her lover's interface panel as she still knew exactly where the latch was. She swiped two fingers over the valve, smiling at the wetness now on her digits, lifting them up to Optimus' lips and making him lick them.

He turned his helm, hesitating at first, but did so, then kissed his lover on the lips. His spike, half pressurized, started to emerge from its housing, the Prime gasping as Elita grasped the spike and made it more erect. She pumped it until it was hard enough to suit her, sincere bliss running through her at Optimus' whimpers and mewls of ecstasy.

"Shhhh..." she whispered to him as she leaned him to lay on his backstrut. She shifted upwards a little more and slowly aligned the spike with her valve, shuddering as Optimus groaned to himself and pushed his shaft upwards into the tight wet heat.

"Ooooh Primus," she couldn't help but giggle... It had been _way_ too long. But that only reminded her more of how much she'd missed her mech.

"I... haven't done this in... so long," Optimus cycled. "Forgive me if I... stumble a bit at first..."

"It's alright, I... I think... _O-Ohhhh..._"

Optimus parted his lips ever so slightly as he felt Elita clench and relax her valve, rippling with pleasure, feeling her ride him so gently but exactly like he remembered. He couldn't help the short soft moan that escaped past his lips, mewling as Elita gasped as he thrusted his spike a bit rough.

"Yesss," she keened, hands grabbing onto Optimus' armor as he clung onto hers. She writhed a little more, more in sync with his thrusts, leaning down and kissing her lover, causing the spike to hit new sensor nodes and stimulate her even better at the new angle.

She had even almost forgotten about the wonder overload that would soon come after.

"I... Elita..."

"It's coming," she giggled, panting. "I can feel it... Primus, I haven't felt this good in so long..."

He moaned as she just rode his thrusts, slowly, dragging out the incredible love-making, keening softly as Optimus rubbed his thumb over the tip of her breast where many _many_ sensor nodes were located. It was almost enough to push her over the edge... To send her crashing into that amazing state of bliss she had been needing from her lover for too long.

Optimus lightly gasped to himself and flickered his optics, looking up to Elita One, at that beautiful faceplate... The one he had used to 'face almost every night out of pure ecstasy, pure love for his femme, _his_ femme, during those hot nights on Cybertron... The faceplate he would kiss on the lips as they snuggled when the weather grew chilly. The beautiful femme he would take walks with after dark and in the early chilly or warm mornings, and take out to dinner or for energon on a normal basis. Before the war... Ariel was still as beautiful as ever. Even as just a simple dockworker, a nobody, an innocent mech with a girlfriend, he got more than anyone could ever ask for. _Elita One..._ A pure Cybertronian femme, a natural leader, an extraordinary lover...

The slow stimulation of his spike moving in his femme's valve had just made it harder and harder, Elita whimpering as she purposely clenched it tightly to make him reach his peak. She brought a servo down to play with the fine seems under his chassis armor for a while, slowly and dragging it out, the other digits rubbing against what was still exposed of the thick spike as she supported herself, _finally_ sending him into his hard and hot overload.

_Primus,_ Elita couldn't help but moan at the sight of Optimus' helm thrown back as he cried out softly as he overloaded, watching him buck with such movement and balance in this immense pleasure, like the graceful Prime he was... feeling his transfluid erupt from his hardened spike and up into the femme's rippling valve.

_This_ is what sent her over the edge. She cried out Optimus' name, bucking against his hips and leaning down to press their helms together, moaning as their transfluid shot out and mixed together. He pressed back, their optics offline, enjoying the amazing sensation neither had felt for eons.

It felt so hot... So good. Too wonderful.

The two could only pant for the next moment. Optimus released his tightened grip on Elita's hip plates, relaxing his chassis and the rest of his body as Elita laid across him weakly.

"That was... amazing, Op... Optimus..."

He stroked her backstrut as he finally managed to catch his breath, and after a moment kissed her helm. "It brings back so many memories," he whispered playfully. "I wish we never had to stop."

She hummed gleefully and kissed his chassis, twirling her fingers around Optimus' hand until he was holding it. His thumb brushed across the top of her hand as they laid there, in the dim lighting and quiet room. Elita shifted very slightly to feel the large spike still in her valve, smiling at the thought.

"I love you," she sighed, smiling as Optimus said the same. Somehow they had managed to have Optimus lying on his side propped up on his arm, tickling her stomach plating ever so lightly and with just that simple touch of pleasure.

It was at least several cycles before their pleasure came to an end, having only a few more lustful and kinky and calming interfaces before Ratchet had paged him to see where he was.

More Decepticons were entering Earth's atmosphere.

* * *

"Let me go, Prime. Haven't I proven myself worthy?"

"In a case like this, we will need all the help we can get," Optimus spoke to Ratchet's look of _'don't let him'_.

"We will all go," he finished. "Ratchet, bring your first aid kit."

"What about Bulkhead and the others?" he reminded him. "Someone should stay in case something goes wrong. Someone who is capable to _fixing_ whatever goes wrong."

"Elita One has had her training in the Elite Guard and Sick Bay. She can watch the others while we are gone, and if something happens that she cannot handle she will call you back to base."

Ratchet sighed without looking towards the pink femme. "Yes, Optimus."

Optimus declared his famous phrase after he managed to give a quick kiss goodbye to his femme without no one seeing. They left through the groundbridge for their coordinates, to the country called France, Elita watching and making sure they all got through before closing the portal.

* * *

Optimus transformed after everyone else. The large open area was certainly not excepted, as they had heard Paris was a very large and crowded and famous city.

"Primus, this place is... not civilized," Smokescreen chirped first.

"Paris is just a few miles north," Ratchet spoke. "I sent us here in case they had landed in a large vast spot."

"Well I don't see anything."

"Perhaps we should explore further into the city," Optimus said, and transformed. "The Decepticons could already have the city under their control."

The other four transformed and followed their leader, driving a couple miles and still seeing nothing. The tall structure they had learned was called the Eiffel Tower stood about a mile ahead of them now as they drove through the busy streets, careful not to hit any humans, until Ratchet shot ahead of them with his emergency alarms blaring as they spotted the missile launched from the top of the tower towards the civilization. The further they went, the more people they only saw screaming and running from... _something..._

Arcee transformed, followed by everyone else, as they watched the two Seekers hang from the tower, shooting at the organics below them with joy.


	4. The Interference of Love

**Basis:** Prime

**Pairings:** RatchetxBeta, OptimusxElita (small PowerglidexMoonracer)

I apologize for posting so late... My life is just so busy with EMS and school activities and hospital class hours and family members and homework... My goodness I'm surprised I had time for this at all. But it's finally here! ~Chapter four! yey~

Yes, I tend to mix G1 things in with other stories/worlds, and vice versa. Did the same in The Birds and the Beasts... And I also may mix up a few 'timeline-ish' things from Primeverse, such as the Omega Keys all while Smokescreen is completely fine.

xD I can't help but think, how would anybody understand Primeverse without watching every episode from the beginning? Oh well. Good thing I'm a nerd I guess.

READREADREAD for medic love! I think the ending it just fantastic. Coming from an author's view, of course. But that's what COMMENTS are for! Yay! And thanks to all those who do!

~enjoy~

* * *

[ August 17 - 8:02 PM (3:02 AM Paris Time) ]

"Optimus, watch out!"

Optimus turned and ducked just before Laserbeak's fire struck him. Smokescreen and the others had already dove for the ground just as an explosion was made.

Soundwave made his way towards them, shooting with Minors by his side, Optimus firing back as the others rushed towards the many many people.

"Why are there so many people at three o'clock in the morning?" Smokescreen shouted as he fired and knocked down two Minors. "This is crazy!"

"Maybe they're under some sort of hypnosis," Ratchet exclaimed as he ducked. "Remember that Danceitron issue?"

Bumblebee whirled his vocals and jumped, slamming Arcee out of the way of a bomb explosion. He ran towards the three Minors and released rapid fire, nailing every one of them if not more.

Ratchet turned to watch the people watching them, seeing how they had either scurried home or stood about a couple miles out. He turned back just in time to catch Soundwave's Resonance blaster nail him right in the chassis.

He couldn't help but moan in pain as the force crushed his armor, hating how he was absolutely helpless pinned to the rock behind him.

"Optimus..." he tried, hearing static. "Op..."

Optimus loomed above the unconscious Knock Out as he barely heard Ratchet's comm. link. He saw the ray being fired, now holding back Arcee and the medic, and aimed his launcher and fired. Soundwave pulled away a third appendage and caught the blast, mirroring it and shooting right back at the semi.

Optimus transformed and drove to the Eiffel Tower, transforming back to himself and jumping, landing almost halfway up the landmark. Soundwave fired continuously, but missed every time as the Autobot would jump from support beam to bar.

Soundwave stopped the blaster simply for fun and games as Optimus reached his level. His tentacles surrounded the tower, searching for the Autobot as he disappeared on him. Soundwave let himself fall to the support beams beneath him as he picked up his signal, but was too late as Optimus struck him upside the head and fired.

Soundwave fell several storied before catching himself. Smokescreen ran up and started climbing towards the two, ignoring Optimus' shouts to stay back.

The Decepticon shot at Optimus as Laserbeak returned, flying towards Optimus and shooting at him. He fell down to Soundwave's level and grabbed onto him, pulling him down to the ground, both falling as Smokescreen clutched onto Laserbeak and threw him into the sky.

Optimus jumped to his pedes, only to stare up at the looming Soundwave above him. Before he could think the tentacles were all over him, squeezing him and attacking him. Smokescreen fired but was knocked unconscious by a tentacle, Optimus nearly helpless as Soundwave hacked into the Autobot's systems.

Images of the War and the Keys and the Autobots popped up into Soundwave's data chamber, as he accessed the ports, searching for their lost and valuable hostages. They were Decepticon escapees, and they wanted them back, along with the information they were never supposed to see.

"Never," Optimus growled in pain as he knew what Soundwave was searching for. He groaned again as Soundwave went deeper, Optimus now pinned against a building.

Soundwave's facial screen beeped frantically as images of Elita One popped up. Beta, Mirage, Moonracer, Springer, Blurr, _Bulkhead..._ the one who helped them _escape..._

This sudden feeling of... _love..._ and... lonesome for this one femme, filled the data ports. It was overwhelming the Autobot's systems. Optimus tried to hold back, to not think of anything, but with the force so strong Soundwave was practically sucking it right out of the mech.

His scowling optics widened a little as relief flooded his circuits, as Soundwave released the tentacles and stored the data away. His screen never left Optimus' face as he backed away, transforming and retreating like he was suddenly scared of the 'Bot. Optimus watched as Laserbeak followed him through the air.

"Optimus!"

He turned to see the others running towards him. "Are you alright?"

He slowly turned back to sky, but they were gone. "Yes, Ratchet. I am fine. How are the others?"

They all looked to Smokescreen as he walked towards them with a small groan, holding his head. He waved the medic off as he neared him to check for anything.

"I believe we are all okay."

"What did Soundwave do to you?" Arcee asked the leader.

"He stole the data of the escapees," he spoke. "We need to get back to base."

He paged the femme back at headquarters, and watched as the glowing green orb expanded for them to enter as police sirens were heard in the distance.

* * *

"I _told_ you I'm _fine,_" Smokescreen chirped again.

"You may _feel_ fine, but you took a hard hit. There could be internal processor damage. Even minor injuries in there could offline you."

He sighed once again as Elita One joined them. "Ratchet is correct. By the images of your neuronet on the monitor, you have copious amounts of radiation flowing through your circuits."

"Easily treatable," Ratchet spoke at Smokescreen's look of horror.

Arcee watched them from across the med bay as she stood over Springer. Her fingers gently traced over his frame, tickling the plating, but knowing he wouldn't smile back like he used to. She missed him already... She didn't want to bother Ratchet over him anymore, but all this waiting while he was in stasis was starting to bother _her._

She looked up as Smokescreen's voice echoed through the base.

"You know, I thought we only went there because we saw more 'Cons coming," he talked to Optimus. "But I only saw those Minors and Soundwave."

"I didn't see any either," Arcee joined them. "Why?"

"Perhaps they had already groundbridged back to the Decepticons after Soundwave and the others found them."

"But why would Soundwave be there?" Beta asked. "What did he want? There are no more relics."

"He wanted data," Smokescreen replied. "He hacked into Optimus."

"Hacked?"

Elita walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Optimus has explained to me that we are in no more danger than we already have been, from being escapees. Since the Decepticons don't know our base location, there's isn't much they do anyway."

Moonracer sighed and gave a soft smile as she joined them.

"Why are you so happy?"

"Powerglide just paged me."

"How was he able to do that?"

She shrugged. "No idea. He said he missed me. I told him all that happened and he started to freak out, but he's okay."

"Aw," Beta smiled. "I bet you can't wait to go back, huh."

She shook her helm and gave a wide grin, and leaned forward to her audio. "He said he found an old crib," she whispered.

"I thought you said you weren't - "

"I'm not," she said. "We're just trying, but once I get back we're planning on it."

"For sure?" she giggled.

She nodded and smiled.

Beta's smile dropped a little, but not enough for Moonracer to think something was wrong. At least she didn't think she would tell.

"You still want one, don't you," she heard after a moment.

Beta looked up and around, seeing how no one was around them to listen. She nodded, and huffed a smile.

Moonracer slid a hand around the back of her neck and squeezed it for comfort. "Oh, don't worry, hon. Your day will come."

"With _who?_" she whispered. "I'm not... involved with anyone."

Moonracer quirked her helm and glanced to Ratchet.

"If we _did_ get back together, he wouldn't want one. I can guarantee it."

"No you can't," she smiled. "Have you ever brought it _up?_"

She looked to the medic and lightly sighed. "...No... mainly because I know he's so busy with the war and all. Who knows when there'll be an after-the-war."

"Then when you do get back together, bring it up. Tell him what you want."

"If I told him a wanted a sparkling... Primus, I don't even know what he'd say. We'd have to get bonded first anyway."

"Not necessarily. I'm not bonded."

"You know if you're trying for a sparkling that he'll propose sooner or later," she spoke softly. "And you two have been together so long you practically already are."

She nearly growled to herself in frustration, sighing as Moonracer squeezed her neck again. "I just... have always wanted one..."

"I know, hon."

"I've always wanted to be pregnant," she smiled. "I don't care how much pain it takes to give birth."

Moonracer laughed at that. "It's definitely worth it," she soothed. "In fact, I think that's the best part."

They turned when a loud clatter sounded behind them, and heard Ratchet's voice. "Miko, I said Mirage needs to rest."

"Aw, it's like Bulk all over again, Ratch. He needs to strengthen himself! Not give up!"

"And, just like Bulkhead, you can't push a patient too far or it'll exacerbate their injuries. Now leave him alone."

The human growled to herself and gave another glance to the noble before she walked off. Mirage watched her as he sat on the berth, whimpering as Ratchet suddenly stretched out his arm to draw more energon.

"I rather admire her commitment to help me," he spoke.

"Yes, she is committed, but she'll also push you too far. You need to follow a doctor's orders, not a human child's."

Mirage looked up to Ratchet and then over to the stasis-locked bright green mech. "When are you going to start on the others?" he asked quietly after a moment. "I know... to Arcee, Springer means... a lot to her."

Ratchet lowered his arm and set the energon inside the generator. "I understand that. Once I finish this test I will take him out of stasis and start more treatments."

"...Is he going to even make it?"

Ratchet turned to him, and back to the monitor. "Yes," he nodded. "I have him stabilized... for now."

_For now,_ he thought over the medic's words. Mirage sighed as his gaze fluttered back to the mech. He knew what kind of relationships he and Arcee had been in for however long, and how Arcee suddenly disappeared and crushed his spark. He knew, though, for the the many many years they had been apart and _he_ had fought with Springer, that still he never forgot her. He doubted he ever stopped loving her, either. He knew he missed her, and even though he figured she disappeared and didn't tell him for his own good, she still missed him too. Now that they were united again, if something happened to Springer, with her watching, she would never forgive herself for not saying her last goodbye, or feel herself again. He didn't know about Cliffjumper or Tailgate, but he knew for sure that this would take the cake.

"You know if something happens to him... She'll never forgive herself... right?"

Ratchet gradually stopped typing and looked back over to the noble. "...I... have an idea... of what would come of it. I know they mean a lot to each other."

Mirage laid back on the berth, and slowly glanced back to him. He watched the monitors beeping at the same pace for the past joor, thinking how the medic himself was in the same situation. And so was he, he thought. If something ever happened to Hound, with their bonded sparks, Primus knows how he would handle it. Even though Ratchet didn't show much feeling towards Beta, he knew that deep down he still felt _something._ And if something happened to either of them, it would be Arcee and Springer all over again.

"You know, Beta still thinks about you," he said after a long silent while. "And I've seen how you act around her."

"I have had this conversation a million times in the past joor," he grumbled. "I know what she needs, I - "

"No, no, no," he glanced towards the medic with compassionate optics. "All I'm saying is that you and her... It's the same situation. Don't tell me if something happened to her, you wouldn't feel terrible."

"I would feel bad because I know her and I hate when _anyone_ goes offline, Mirage. It doesn't mean I... am still..._ in love_ with her."

The words, after he said them, made butterflies flutter everywhere inside him, as Miko had explained the Earth phrase. _In love_, with Beta... like he had been for eons, until the break up. Was Beta still _in love_ with him? That was what everyone seemed to be saying.

But he knew Beta didn't come here to create drama. She didn't even want to come here in the first place, specifically _because_ Ratchet was here. She knew it would be nothing but awkward. Ratchet thought back to when he first saw her and approached her, and soothed her enough to bring her back to a private med bay room and examine her, and tease her, and how she would still giggle around him.

"I'm not saying you're still in love with her," he suddenly heard Mirage break the silence. "I'm reminding you that you still have certain feelings for each other, whatever those feelings may be. It's not my business... It's for you and her to work out."

Ratchet looked back to the monitor, and huffed softly to himself. He knew Mirage was right... They had all been right. About them. He needed to talk to Beta, before they went back to Cybertron.

* * *

"Please, I do not."

"Optimus, stop, and relax..."

"We have fooled around too much already," he spoke softly. "We cannot keep secretly disappearing on the others simply for our own pleasure."

Elita sighed and rested her helm back on Optimus' chassis. "I know," she spoke softly. "I just miss you."

He kept his servo rubbing against her back, and planted a light kiss on her helm. "I am sorry, Elita," he spoke after a moment. "I wish you wouldn't have to leave."

"Who says we do?"

"Cybertron needs you. The others have more important values back there than here."

"They can go," she whispered. "I'll stay with you. Beta will stay with Ratchet. Springer will stay with Arcee."

"And risk the production of sparklings or permanent separation? I fear Arcee could not mentally afford to lose another partner."

Elita just giggled. "You worry too much."

He just sighed playfully as Elita shifted downwards and kissed him on the cheek plate. "But you are a Prime, and with as much as you've gone through I couldn't blame you."

At that he smiled and kissed her back. "Thank you, dear. Same goes for you, as well."

She chuckled softly to herself and nuzzled him, kissed his neck lightly as she offlined her optics. "Should we be getting back, then?"

"Perhaps," he replied. "But Ratchet has not needed me for anything."

Elita smiled and looked up at him. "You think just a few minutes would hurt?"

She could only gasp and giggle as Optimus pulled her closer to him, lips locking snuggly and passionately.

* * *

[ August 17 - 10:43 PM ]

Beta had been standing behind the medic for at least a cycle now, knowing Ratchet hadn't known or heard her with the drill going or clatter of tools. She tried to stand as close to him as possible without him knowing, creating a game with herself and see how long she could last. His body heat was just so... addicting... like she remembered. She wanted to feel his presence again, even if it meant pretending she wasn't in love with him but secretly still was.

Her optics remained dull, almost offline, as the drill stopped and Ratchet exchanged the tool for a pair of simple pliers.

"How long are you going to keep this up?"

Beta's optics jerked online in surprise. "...How did - "

"Please, Beta," he started and turned to face her. "I've been with you how many years?"

Her shocked parted lips closed and optics fell to the floor. As she turned her frame rather quickly to leave, she stopped, as Ratchet's cold hand pressed against her upper arm.

"We need to talk," he said quietly to her.

Her helm slowly turned back to the medic. _Talk?_ About what? There was nothing to talk about... that she _wanted_ to talk about, anyway. Although with everything she was feeling and that had happened so far in the past few joors, she didn't think it could get much more awkward than him looking inside her valve for infection.

She looked to his other hand as he set the tool down. "Shouldn't you finish your work?"

"I'm done."

Her optics flickered up to his then quickly down to the floor, and let out a soft "Oh".

Ratchet sighed to himself as he let go and walked around her to the other side. "Beta... There are some... _things,_ we should talk about."

"I know."

He closed his mouth for a moment before he spoke again. His hand almost naturally cupped around her chin and lifted it up, making her gaze fall on his own, a movement he used to do when they would fight and he would make it up with a kiss. He knew Beta remembered it the same way, but both knew this wouldn't result in a kiss. Not yet, anyway.

"I... just wanted to apologize," he almost whispered. "I don't want you to feel so uncomfortable around me. I want you to still like me."

Adrenaline shot through her circuits as Ratchet's soothing voice and soft hand against her faceplate. She only gave a soft smile when Ratchet's thumb started sweeping across her cheek plate.

"Don't apologize," she spoke. "It's not your fault I'm in this situation. I'm the one making it awkward."

Ratchet smiled lightly back at her. "You're just stressed and scared, Beta. You're worried and paranoid. Every Autobot goes through this, multiple times undoubtedly." He let go and her faceplate fell back to it's usual position. "I just wish I could tell you... or, help you, through this..."

Her optics flickered but never left his.

"What I'm saying is, or asking is, what do you feel? Right now?"

"...Everything?"

"Everything."

"I feel... scared. Mostly. I feel out of place... Like I'm not worthy of being an Autobot. I feel like we're being watched, and like I've lost so much ever since I've been under Elita One. Or even ever since I've been an Autobot... ever since I lost you."

Ratchet listened to her intently as she told him everything he asked her to tell him. She wasn't afraid to let it out, and he loved that. He loved how he got her comfortable enough to trust him like this, and to just release all her inner feelings on him. He did nothing as they stood there in the empty med bay, watching how she would talk with her hands as she explained, or how tears would flow and her vocals would quiver but she just wiped them away. At least another cycle passed since she started, Ratchet only showing her comfort and that he was listening, and there for her. And she knew it, too. She knew he _did_ care, and would _always_ be there for her, even it part of her feelings was due to thinking she had lost his care and support forever.

Ratchet knew she couldn't handle that. She needed _someone,_ anyone, to just care. To just listen to her, and help her. Work with her through all her problems. To _love_ her. Ratchet certainly had no problem doing that before, and by his current feelings he didn't think it would be much of a problem now, either.

Ratchet stopped her as more tears had been falling from her optics for several minutes. His hand that had found its way to her neck and shoulder had been lifted away, Beta thinking Ratchet was just starting to get annoyed with her. But when she felt his arms wrap around her and pull her close to him, she simply sank into him, crying, sobbing, hating how she was in this situation but loving how Ratchet still showed this much love towards her. His frame, close to hers and he just hugged her, tightly and snuggly, lovingly, comfortingly, generated so much body heat it nearly made _him_ cry.

Her limp body practically shivered in his embrace, but he just kept holding her. He guessed it was his secret way of loving her, though he knew he needed to do much more. But now was simply not the time.

His hand continued rubbing her back as her sobbing settled down and was reduced to strangled gasps and hiccups. He knew this was mainly what she needed; just to let it all out, and tell someone. His own faceplate nuzzled hers from time to time, whispering soothing things into her audio receptor. She would nuzzle back, like they were still in love, like she wanted to show him just as much love back.

Somehow they had managed to move a couple feet and face the opposite directions from where they started. Apparently swaying back in forth in a manner of soothing still ran through the medic's circuits.

"Beta?"

Ratchet's voice was soft and quiet, but loud in the silence they had been in for the past half cycle. "Yeah..."

"Tell me something."

Her wet, tired optics floated up to his as his faceplate leaned into hers, pressing against her cheek plate and nuzzling it again, his lips pressed just softly enough to kiss her but stop.

"T-Tell you what?"

"If I told you I still cared, still... loved you... like a friend... what would you say?"

She barely noticed how they were still swaying back and forth. His faceplate pulled away just slightly, but enough for her to look him in the optics.

"...Like a friend?"

He hesitated, but nodded.

"I..." She frankly didn't know what she would say. He only loved her like a _friend?_ Not even a _little_ like they used to? She wanted so badly just to say she loved him, not like a friend, but like the boyfriend he had once been to her. "I..."

"Or... what if I told you... I did love you."

"...Like a friend?"

His faceplate leaned back in and brushed his lips against her audio. "I love you," he whispered so faintly into them.

She exhaled through her parted lips and offlined her optics. They only swayed in the empty bay, in the dim lighting, as her helm rested against Ratchet's neck, with his faceplate still buried into her own. Ratchet said... he _loves_ her... What _was_ she supposed to say? _I love you too?_ She didn't feel worthy enough to do it.

But she thought about what Ratchet was doing right now. He was doing nothing but comforting her, holding her, indeed loving her. He _cared._ He _loved_ her.

Beta's vocals quivered as she started to speak. "Do... you really...?"

She felt his helm move away, and sighed to herself as he told her a sweet and soft "Yes".

"Ratchet..."

"Yes."

She only gave off a helpless, tired smile of excitement. "I love you too."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

Ratchet's own offlined optics powered up, dimly, as his lips pressed against the side of her helm. "I really do," he heard her whisper, and with that, he gave a light kiss to her audio. After a minute or so he gave another to her cheek, and a moment after, after they had swayed a couple more feet, another to her neck.

She never did online her optics as she felt his kisses slowly make their way to her lips. They kissed, with such passion that it made her even more weak, but filled her with so much happiness.

It was the nicest kiss either had had in a _long_ time. Even when they were together and would kiss, rarely would they have make-up, passionate, I-missed-you-so-much kinds of kisses as wonderful as this. Ratchet chuckled at the thought.

He pulled away, pressing his lips together and smiling as their optics onlined. "Do you feel better?"

She keened a smile and nodded. "Thank you."

"It was the least I could do, with all I've put you in," he replied.

"Did you mean it?"

"What?"

"When you said you loved me."

"Did _you_ mean it when you said you loved _me?_"

"Of course," she whispered after a short pause.

Ratchet only smiled. "Then yes," he said. "I do love you. I think I always have."

Beta couldn't help a wide grin when Ratchet leaned in and kissed her once more, on the lips, this time his glossa playing with hers and making her giggle. He playfully bit her bottom lip as he pulled away, remembering so many memories just like this.

"I'm really glad I stood behind you," she giggled softly as Ratchet's hug tightened.

"I'm glad I'm still wise enough to know your tricks," he teased.

"I'm glad I came here, after all. I think Elita was right."

"About what?"

"We were talking about how everything happens for a reason. I think we crashed here, and I went through all this chaos particularly to see you again."

Ratchet smiled as Beta placed a cool kiss on his cheek plate. "I'm just glad we got through the awkwardness and to the loving again," he spoke playfully. "Now... What was this about a sparkling?"


End file.
